Department for Transport

Railways: Franchises

Ms Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether each train company with a franchise agreement has been asked by his Department to undertake a review of its approach to capital spending in relation to (a) asset maintenance and (b) enhancement.

Chris Heaton-Harris: The Emergency Measures Agreements (EMAs) require operators to act in a commercial manner in relation to the management of revenues and costs.

Biofuels: Public Consultation

Matt Vickers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 20 May 2020 to Question 46196, on Biofuels: Public Consultation, if his Department will publish the (a) responses to the consultation received from the public and (b) the Government's response and next steps before the 2020 summer recess.

Rachel Maclean: As is the normal practice the Department will publish a summary of all responses to the consultation. The Department is working hard to publish this summary, as part of the Government response setting out next steps, as early as possible this year. However, taking into account that the consultation only closed last month it will not possible to publish the Government response before summer recess.

M67: Litter

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with Highways England on removing litter on the Junction 2 on-sliproad to the M67 in Denton.

Rachel Maclean: The Secretary of State for Transport has had no such discussions with Highways England on removing litter at Junction 2 on-slip road to the M67 in Denton. Highways England have confirmed that any restoration measures are required to take place within the timescales set out in the Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse. This states that any areas with special circumstances that falls below grade B, such as carriageways, verges and central reservations of motorways and trunk roads, must be restored back to grade A standard within twenty-eight days or as soon as reasonably practicable. Highways England expect to remove litter from the entry slip road within the next three weeks.

M67: Bridges

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the timescale is for the reconstruction of the bridge at St Anne’s Road, Denton at Junction 2 of the M67; and if he will make a statement.

Rachel Maclean: The timing of the delivery of the project is subject to a number of factors involving other parties. Highways England intends to commence survey work between July and December 2020. Enabling works, including opening the closed section of St Anne’s Road to allow implementation of the diversion route, are intended to start in April 2021. The aim is to start the main demolition and construction work in October 2021, with construction lasting for two years.

Driving Tests: Coronavirus

Owen Thompson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency on extending provisional driving licence expiry dates in response to the unavailability of driving tests during the covid-19 outbreak.

Rachel Maclean: Provisional driving entitlement is usually valid until a driver reaches the age of 70 and the photocard must be renewed every ten years. There are no plans to extend these dates. Customers can renew their photocard licence online or by post. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)’s online services have continued to operate as normal throughout the pandemic. However, paper applications are taking longer to process as they must be dealt with in person and the DVLA currently has a reduced number of staff on-site to comply with social distancing requirements and ensure staff safety.

Public Transport: Concessions

Sarah Olney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he undertook an equality impact assessment of the suspension of free travel for under-18s in London.

Rachel Maclean: The Department for Transport is working with Transport for London to identify how the temporary suspension of free travel for under 18s in London can be implemented. This includes undertaking an equality impact assessment of the proposal.

Public Transport: Coronavirus

Munira Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made requests to (a) train operating companies and (b) Transport for London to undertake customer surveys to estimate the level of demand for public transport as covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased.

Chris Heaton-Harris: The Secretary of State has not asked train operating companies nor Transport for London to undertake customer surveys to estimate the level of demand for public transport as restrictions are eased. Demand for public transport is being monitored daily through ticket sales data, and through tube entries/exits and bus boarding numbers for Transport for London. This gives a more granular and time-sensitive assessment of demand than would be possible through surveys. This information is published each week on the gov.uk website and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/transport-use-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic

Roads: Accidents

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many road accidents involving cars there were in Herefordshire in 2019.

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many road accidents involving motorcycles there were in Herefordshire in 2019.

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many road accidents involving bicycles there were in Herefordshire in 2019.

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many road accidents involving pedestrians there were in Herefordshire in 2019.

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many road accidents involving lorries there were in Herefordshire in 2019.

Rachel Maclean: The latest annual published statistics are for 2018. Detailed final data on reported personal injury road accidents in Great Britain for 2019 will be published in September 2020.The number of reported personal injury road accidents involving cars, injured pedestrians, pedal cycles, motorcycles and HGVs in Herefordshire in 2018 can be found in the below table: Reported road accidents by road user type involved, Herefordshire, 2018   Road user type involvedNumber of accidents Car1302 Injured pedestrian42 Pedal Cycle41 Motorcycle40 HGV15 Source: DfT, STATS191. Includes cars and taxis

Department for Transport: Public Opinion

Judith Cummins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much his Department spent on (a) opinion polling and (b) focus groups in each month since January 2019.

Chris Heaton-Harris: The information requested could only be provided at a disproportionate cost.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Hydrogen: Investment and Job Creation

Kevin Hollinrake: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with representatives from businesses on (a) investment plans and (b) the potential for job creation in shovel-ready hydrogen projects.

Kevin Hollinrake: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with businesses about (a) investment plans and (b) potential for jobs in shovel-ready hydrogen projects.

Kwasi Kwarteng: We are in regular discussions with businesses about their investment plans for hydrogen projects, including those that are ready for very near-term deployment. In addition we are undertaking extensive stakeholder engagement as we develop new policy to help bring forward the technologies and supply chain we will need to grow the UK hydrogen economy. We recently published the Energy Innovation Needs Assessment (EINA) for hydrogen and fuel cells which identified that up to 15,000 jobs per annum by 2050 could be created through domestic hydrogen opportunities. We are also looking to formalise regular engagement between Government and industry to discuss and drive development if the UK hydrogen economy. This will consider how we can best work together to retain and expand jobs and skills in hydrogen and related sectors; as well as developing the UK supply chain.

Energy Performance Certificates

Dr Dan Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans his Department has to ensure that the EPC action plan due to be published later in 2020 ensures that off-grid homeowners are not incentivised to stay on higher carbon, cheaper fuels to meet the minimum energy efficiency standard due to the inclusion of input fuel cost in the EPC methodology.

Kwasi Kwarteng: EPCs are a widely used measure of the energy performance of buildings, both in the residential and commercial sectors, and are a key tool in promoting energy efficiency improvements to buildings. The EPC Call for Evidence ran from 26 July 2018 to 19 October 2018 and sought evidence on how EPCs performed against three attributes: quality, availability, and encouraging action to improve energy efficiency. The forthcoming Call for Evidence Summary of Responses will outline the responses received from the Call for Evidence, including on effectiveness of EPCs. Alongside this, an EPC Action Plan will build on the views expressed as part of the Call for Evidence, alongside government policy work, to set out a series of actions which the government will take forward to maximise the effectiveness of EPCs as a tool for the future. The Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) and Reduced Data SAP (RdSAP) methodologies which underpin EPCs provide accurate and reliable assessments of the Energy Efficiency Rating (EER), an indicator of the assumed energy cost per square metre of a home, and the Environmental Impact Rating (EIR), an indicator of the carbon dioxide emissions intensity per square metre, of a home. They are updated regularly in line with updates to Part L of the Building Regulations. We will keep the ratings we use under review as we develop policies and plans for improving the energy efficiency of homes and reducing fuel poverty, including those in rural areas. The Clean Growth Strategy also committed to ‘phase out installation of high carbon fossil fuel heating in buildings not connected to the gas grid, starting with new build, during the 2020s’. In 2018 we ran an extensive programme of engagement with industry and consumers, to seek views on how industry, government and consumers could work together to phase out the installation of high carbon fossil fuels from homes and businesses off the gas grid, and we will be consulting on proposals in due course. We will publish a Heat and Buildings Strategy in due course which will set out the comprehensive set of action to decarbonise buildings, joining up approaches to improving energy efficiency of the building stock and the roll-out of low carbon heating.

Hydrogen

Dr Dan Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department plans to take to establish a UK-wide hydrogen strategy.

Kwasi Kwarteng: The Government is committed to exploring the development of hydrogen as a strategic decarbonised energy carrier. As such we are currently developing our strategic approach to hydrogen and its potential to deliver against our net zero goals. We are undertaking extensive stakeholder engagement as we develop new policy to help bring forward the technologies and supply chain we will need to grow the UK hydrogen economy. This includes business models to support the deployment of, and investment in, low carbon hydrogen production and a £100m Low Carbon Hydrogen Production Fund to stimulate capital investment. We will be further engaging with industry on both schemes throughout the year.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Renewable Energy

Sir Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many (a) solar panels and (b) wind turbines his Department's buildings (a) have in 2020 and (b) had in each of the last five years.

Kwasi Kwarteng: At its headquarters building at 1 Victoria Street in London, the Department has 28 solar panels which each measure approximately 1.5m x 0.5m. The number of solar panels is the same for the last five years and for 2020. The Department does not currently have any wind turbines at its 1 Victoria Street headquarters building, or in the last five years.

Carbon Emissions

Navendu Mishra: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when he plans to announce the Government’s strategy for achieving a low carbon economy in accordance with its 2050 net zero target; and what steps the Government plans to take to (a) deliver a cleaner, healthier environment, (b) create high skilled green jobs and (c) build a more resilient economy.

Kwasi Kwarteng: We are continuing to develop our net zero strategy. We have recently published the first stage of our Transport Decarbonisation plan and have announced a £2 billion package for cycling and walking. This will be supported by further decarbonisation plans this year covering key sectors, including Heat and Buildings, Trees, and Energy. We will build on our ambitious plans announced at the Budget – for example £1bn to deploy electric vehicle infrastructure, and £800m to deliver carbon capture and storage in the UK – to help to slash our emissions and deliver growth across the country. As we recover from COVID-19, the Government intends to deliver a UK economy which is stronger, cleaner, more sustainable and more resilient.

Bounce Back Loan Scheme: Hospitality Industry

Kirsten Oswald: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will extend eligibility for the Coronavirus Bounceback Loan Scheme to incoming proprietors of long-established premises in the hospitality sector where the date of registration of the business entity through that premises was after 1 March 2020.

Paul Scully: Almost all viable UK-based businesses are eligible to apply for a loan under the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS). You can apply for a loan if your business:is based in the UK;was established before 1 March 2020;has been adversely affected by coronavirus. Whether or not a business is liable for Business Rates, or occupies business premises, is not a consideration under the scheme. The Government-backed loan schemes are part of a broad package of support measures for businesses, which include the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, deferral of VAT and income tax payments, grant funding for small businesses, and more. For more information on the support available to them, businesses should visit the Government’s business support website.

Redundancy: Debenhams

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if his Department will undertake an investigation into compliance with statutory rules on (a) notice and (b) consultation of the redundancies at Debenhams.

Paul Scully: Employers proposing to make 20 or more employees redundant from one establishment are required to consult employees or their representatives:- at least 45 days before the first dismissal takes effect where 100 or more redundancies are proposed.- at least 30 days before the first dismissal takes effect where 20 or more redundancies are proposed.The consultation must include consultation on ways to avoid redundancies, reducing the numbers of redundancies, or mitigating their impact. Where an employer has failed to adequately consult with their employees about impending redundancies, those employees may apply to an Employment Tribunal for a Protective Award.Within the same timescales, the employer must notify my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy of the proposed collective redundancies. Failure to notify is an offence.If special circumstances exist making it unreasonable for the employer to comply with the consultation or notification obligations, the employer must take such steps as are reasonably practicable to comply.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Overseas Aid

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether his Department's share of the Official Development Assistance will decrease in the event of a decrease in GNI.

James Cleverly: The UK government made the commitment, underpinned by law, to spend 0.7% of its Gross National Income each year on Official Development Assistance (ODA). Since this commitment is linked to the size of the economy, the level of ODA spend will increase or decrease in line with GNI. Discussions are ongoing on where changes might occur. HM Treasury allocates ODA budgets to departments and is responsible for making changes to these.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Overseas Aid

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether his Department is signing new funding agreements for projects funded by Official Development Assistance.

James Cleverly: The UK has a legal commitment to spend 0.7% of its Gross National Income (GNI) each year on Official Development Assistance (ODA). Since this commitment is linked to the size of the economy, the level of ODA spend will increase or decrease in line with GNI. The Government reviews the ODA funding it allocates to projects on a regular basis in order to ensure delivery of its commitment to spend 0.7% of GNI on ODA.

Nigeria: Violence

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make it his policy to provide (a) financial, (b) technical and (c) capacity building support to the Government of Nigeria to help the implementation of the recommendations of the report entitled, Nigeria: Unfolding Genocide, published by the APPG for International Freedom of Religion or Belief on 15 June 2020.

James Duddridge: We welcome the APPG's report and the detailed analysis it provides on the complex issues of intercommunal violence across multiple states of Nigeria and acts of terrorism committed by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa in North East Nigeria. The UK Government strongly condemns all acts of violence in Nigeria. We are considering the report and its recommendations in detail and I will provide a full response in due course.

Sri Lanka: Water

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his Sri Lankan counterpart on the contamination of the water supply in the Jaffna Peninsula from the Chunnakam Power Plant.

Nigel Adams: We are aware of the challenges Sri Lanka faces around water management and quality and the unique challenges faced by communities in northern Sri Lanka. Staff at the British High Commission in Colombo have raised the issue of water quality during regular visits to the North. A number of public bodies in Sri Lanka, including the national water supply and drainage board, have conducted tests and compensation was offered to those affected by water pollution caused by the Chunnakam Power plant. We will continue to engage with local government in the North to ensure these concerns around water management and quality are understood, and that measures are taken to ensure clean water.

Afghanistan: Ethnic Groups

Royston Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure those responsible in Afghanistan for the (a) attack on a maternity hospital and (b) other targeted attacks on the Hazara community are brought to justice.

Nigel Adams: The UK Government was appalled by the attack on a maternity hospital in Kabul last month. The Foreign Secretary and the Minister for South Asia, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, publicly condemned the attack. The UN Security Council made clear the need to hold perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice, in its statement of 13 May. We commend this. We continue to support the Afghan National Defence and Security Force (ANDSF), helping them combat the threat from insurgent groups. All ethnic and religious groups, including the Hazaras, have equal rights and an important role to play in Afghanistan's political decision-making. At the Human Rights Council (HRC), the Afghan Government accepted our recommendation that they establish an independent mechanism to assess how security protection can be improved for religious and ethnic minorities.

Nigeria: Religion

Ruth Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will introduce mandatory training for staff of his Department in Nigeria on (a) patterns of discrimination and conflict with religious characteristics and (b) how religion and religious actors interact with the societal and conflict context.

James Duddridge: Holding answer received on 24 June 2020



Our staff are encouraged to develop an understanding of religion and its role within society, including in conflict situations and in countries like Nigeria where religion is important to most people's identity. Specific training on religion is available to all staff through the FCO's Diplomatic Academy. In addition, our Nigerian local staff provide first-hand insight into the role of religion and religious actors within Nigerian society, including conflicts affecting the country. We also use expertise from the FCO's Africa Research Group and conflict-prevention experts.We are now working on an enhanced training offer related to religion as part of our commitment to implement the recommendations made in the Bishop of Truro's independent review. This work is being led by the Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief, Rehman Chishti MP.

Yu Wensheng

Stephen Kinnock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he is making to the Chinese government about the imprisonment of human rights lawyer Yu Wensheng following a secret trial.

Nigel Adams: Holding answer received on 24 June 2020



We are deeply concerned by reports of lawyer Yu Wensheng's sentencing to four years in prison. Yu's detention, secret trial, and lack of access to a lawyer of his choosing, raise serious concerns over the rule of law, due process, and judicial transparency in China. We have raised Yu's case directly with Chinese officials, and issued multiple statements of concern about his sentence. The Foreign Secretary raised human rights concerns with his Chinese counterpart, State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, on both 9 March and 8 June.

Sri Lanka: Politics and Government

Stephen Kinnock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his Sri Lankan counterpart on the composition of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s appointment of a new presidential task force which has the stated aim of building a secure country, disciplined, virtuous and lawful society.

Nigel Adams: We are monitoring political and human rights developments in Sri Lanka very closely and have active discussions with the government on a range of issues, including the link between democratic values and international standing. The UK is a member of the Core Group on Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and has long supported Sri Lanka's commitments under UNHRC resolutions 30/1, 34/1 and 40/1 on accountability and reconciliation. The UK will lead the core group again at the upcoming Human Rights Session in June.

Israeli Settlements

Patrick Grady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will issue a response to EDM 464, Proposed Israeli annexation of part of the West Bank.

James Cleverly: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Marine Environment: Treaties

Patrick Grady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether a senior UK Government Minister plans to attend the fourth session of the Inter-Governmental Conference when it is re-scheduled.

Patrick Grady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the Government plans to invite any representatives from the Scottish Government to join a delegation to the fourth session of the Inter-Governmental Conference when it is rescheduled.

James Duddridge: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs have been closely involved in the negotiation of a new Implementing Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction - the BBNJ Agreement - as an important step forward in addressing the challenges that the ocean faces. The UK is pressing for an ambitious Agreement. It will be a key mechanism in enabling the designation of at least 30 per cent of the global ocean as Marine Protected Areas by 2030.Unfortunately, due to the impacts of COVID-19, the fourth session of the Inter-Governmental Conference, scheduled for 23 March to 3 April in New York, was postponed. The UK is supportive of re-scheduling the fourth session for the earliest possible opportunity that will enable all delegations to be present for the negotiations in New York. The precise make-up of the UK delegation will need to take into account any social distancing measures that may be in place for the re-scheduled session, but it will be a strong delegation. The UK also strongly supports intersessional work, which is vital to ensure that we maintain momentum towards the successful conclusion of these important negotiations.

China: Overseas Aid

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much Official Development Assistance his Department has been spent in China in each of the last five years.

Nigel Adams: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

India: Overseas Aid

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much Official Development Assistance his Department has spent in India in each of the last five years.

Nigel Adams: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Development Aid: Poverty

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether his Department plans for it to remain Government policy that it should meet the poverty reduction obligations as set out in the International Development Act 2002 after his Department merges with the Department for International Development.

James Cleverly: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office will continue to be guided by our responsibilities under the International Development Act, including a commitment to poverty reduction. The work of UK aid to reduce poverty will remain central to the new department's mission.

Iraq: Turkey

Chris Stephens: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs,  whether the Government has made representations to the Government of Turkey on the aerial attack by Turkish jets on (a) the Maxmur refugee camp in northern Iraq on 14 June 2020 and (b) Shengal, Iraq and (c) other villages in Iraq.

James Cleverly: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Turkey: Press Freedom

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to his Turkish counterpart on the protection of press freedom in Turkey.

Wendy Morton: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Northern Ireland Office

Borders: Northern Ireland

Colum Eastwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps he plans to take to support border areas in Northern Ireland after the end of the transition period.

Mr Robin Walker: The Northern Ireland Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

EU Grants and Loans: Northern Ireland

Colum Eastwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that EU structural funding for Northern Ireland is replaced by other Government funding after the end of the transition period.

Mr Robin Walker: The UK Government is committed to strengthening the Union, levelling up every part of the UK and has committed to replacing EU Structural Funds with the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.   The Government recognises the importance of reassuring local areas on the future of local growth funding and of providing clarity on the UKSPF. We remain committed to creating the UKSPF to succeed European structural funds and provide vital investment across the UK as we support the recovery, renewal and levelling up of local economies following Covid-19.   Now we have left the European Union, we have an opportunity to replace European structural funds with a UKSPF which binds together the whole of the United Kingdom, tackling inequality and deprivation in each of our four nations. The 2019 Conservative Manifesto committed to, at minimum, matching current levels of funding for each nation from EU structural funds. Over the coming weeks, the Government will be assessing the impact of Covid-19 and how best to support economic recovery. We will need to work closely as one United Kingdom to understand the changing needs of local and regional economies and tailor our response to the impact of Covid-19. We have a real opportunity through the UKSPF to design a fund that is driven by domestic priorities. The Government will set out further plans for the fund at the Comprehensive Spending Review.

Department of Health and Social Care

Protective Clothing: Imports

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish a list of the (a) Chinese and (b) Indian companies selling medical (i) surgical gowns, (ii) masks and (iii) other personal protection equipment that her Department has visited to source such supplies for the UK during the covid-19 outbreak; and if he will make a statement.

Jo Churchill: A cross-Government personal protective equipment (PPE) sourcing unit, staffed by over 400 people, is securing new supply lines from across the world and has published rigorous standards against which purchases will be made. Department for International Development and Foreign and Commonwealth Office teams around the world are seeking new supplies, lobbying governments to lift export restrictions and getting crucial deliveries back to the United Kingdom. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, in particular the embassy in Beijing, have supported us in relation to procurement activity in China. However, we do not hold records centrally of visits made by local Department for International Development or Foreign and Commonwealth Office official to individual suppliers of PPE in either China or India.

Health Services: Protective Clothing

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which body is responsible for giving regulatory approval for a (a) new design of PPE clothing and (b) new supplier's PPE product.

Jo Churchill: A cross-Government personal protective equipment sourcing unit, staffed by over 400 people, is securing new supply lines from across the world and has published rigorous standards against which purchases will be made.The Health and Safety Executive and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency are responsible for giving regulatory approval. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/technical-specifications-for-personal-protective-equipment-ppe

Protective Clothing: Manufacturing Industries

Rachel Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions he has had with the British companies manufacturing personal protective equipment for European countries on the production of that equipment for the UK.

Jo Churchill: We have allowed personal protective equipment (PPE) exports by private companies where such exports do not undermine the level of PPE within the United Kingdom, and no PPE has been issued from pandemic supplies to other countries.Lord Deighton is leading the Government effort by British industry to manufacture PPE. The Government is currently in contact with over 350 potential UK manufacturers and has signed contracts to manufacture over 2 billion items of PPE through UK-based manufacturers. More new manufacturers are expected to commit to producing PPE in the coming weeks.

Protective Clothing: Manufacturing Industries

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many UK companies he has commissioned to manufacture (a) ffp2 and (b) ffp3 masks since 1 March 2020; and what the average weekly output of those manufacturers is for each mask type.

Jo Churchill: The Government announced on 15 May that more than 70 million FFP2 and FFP3 face masks will be manufactured in the United Kingdom and delivered to frontline health and care workers following an agreement with global technology company Honeywell. Production will begin as early as July and up to 4.5 million masks will be produced each month. Honeywell will produce 60% FFP3 and 40% FFP2 masks, but these percentages are moveable depending on requirements. Honeywell will produce more than 70 million face masks, creating 450 new jobs.

Protective Clothing: Procurement

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to reduce the time taken to (a) respond to and (b) process offers to supply personal protective equipment from (i) British and (ii) foreign suppliers.

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of offers to supply personal protective equipment during the covid-19 outbreak have been responded to within (a) 24 hours and (b) a week in the lastest period for which figures are available.

Jo Churchill: All offers receive an immediate automated response and follow up contact once the team have assessed the offer.We are identifying new sources of critical personal protective equipment (PPE) from overseas markets, diversifying the United Kingdom’s sources of supply and strengthening the UK’s supply chains for the long term.Department for International Trade and Foreign and Commonwealth Office teams around the world are seeking new supplies, lobbying governments to lift export restrictions and helping get crucial deliveries back to the UK.The Government has processed over 23,000 cases from over 15,000 suppliers and has contracted with 150 of them. In addition, we are in contact with over 350 potential manufacturers and have signed contracts to manufacture over 2 billion items of PPE through UK-based manufacturers. More new manufacturers are expected to commit to producing PPE in the coming weeks.

Cystic Fibrosis: Coronavirus

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what support the Government plans to make available for people with cystic fibrosis and others who are extremely vulnerable who may be required to shield after lockdown restrictions in response to the covid-19 outbreak are modified for the rest of society.

Jo Churchill: Holding answer received on 04 May 2020



The shielding guidance in England has been updated to advise that, from 1 June 2020, those shielding may wish to consider spending time outdoors once a day. As part of the next review point, we will consider the arrangements for shielding beyond 30 June. We will also review the risks for the clinically extremely vulnerable and assess whether the shielding period needs to be extended or whether it is possible for the shielding guidance to be eased further. We will base our assessment on clinical advice from medical experts and the best data available about the prevalence of COVID-19 in the community. The Government will continue to ensure support with essential supplies, medicines, social contact and basic needs is available for those who need it for as long as people are advised to follow shielding guidance.

Protective Clothing: Procurement

Beth Winter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what (a) quantity and (b) types of personal protective equipment the Government has procured from the 3M factory in Darlington.

Jo Churchill: Holding answer received on 12 May 2020



We do not hold that information as our contracts with existing manufacturers, such as 3M, do not normally specify in which factory they are made. Lord Deighton is leading efforts to increase the domestic supply of personal protective equipment (PPE). Contracts have been signed for over 2 billion items of PPE through United Kingdom-based manufacturers, including facemasks, visors, gowns and aprons.

Coronavirus

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the decision of 19 March 2020 that covid-19 is no longer considered to be a high consequence infectious disease (HCID), whether the 4 nations public health HCID group and Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens considered the availability of personal protective equipment in their review of their interim recommendation in January 2020 to classify covid-19 as a HCID.

Jo Churchill: Neither the four nations public health high consequence infectious disease (HCID) group nor the Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens (ACDP) considered the availability of personal protective equipment when reviewing the interim recommendation of January 2020 to classify COVID-19 as a HCID. Recommendations provided by both the four nations public health HCID group and the ACDP on the classification of COVID-19 were based entirely on the scientific evaluation of the HCID criteria, which considers disease characteristics and the response required to manage the disease. The use and availability of specific personal protective equipment is not a criterion.

Health Services: Coronavirus

Olivia Blake: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to provide adequate supplies of FFP3 face masks to health and dentistry workers.

Jo Churchill: Holding answer received on 18 May 2020



We are working around the clock to give the National Health Service and social care sector the equipment and support they need to tackle this outbreak.We recognise the huge demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) stocks, which is why the Government is working to expand supply from overseas and improve domestic manufacturing capability. We published a PPE Plan on 10 April, setting out clear guidance on who needs PPE and in what circumstances they need to use it; and how sufficient supplies will be secured and distributed to the front line. The plan can be found at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-personal-protective-equipment-ppe-planThe Government is working closely with industry, the NHS, social care providers and the army to ensure that PPE is delivered to those who need it.From Monday 8 June all NHS practices were able to start, at their own pace, seeing patients again once they have appropriate social distancing and other safety measures in place. PPE for dentists is being made available through their business as usual wholesalers. We have also set up new distribution routes for dentistry to ensure continuity of supply for all urgent dental care centres and have placed them on the list of priority areas to receive supplies from Local Resilience Forums. PPE for dental practices will include equipment necessary for aerosol generating procedures.

Coronavirus: Disease Control

Paul Bristow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to help ensure that people in shielding isolation during the covid-19 outbreak have access to rehabilitation services after their isolation.

Jo Churchill: As our understanding of the virus increases, the Government continues to review the emerging evidence. We will continue to listen to our medical advisers on the level of clinical risk the virus presents to different groups of people at different points in time. The next review will take place the week commencing 15 June 2020. As part of this, we will consider the next steps for shielding beyond 30 June. The Government will continue to ensure support is available for those who need it for as long as people are advised to follow shielding guidance.

Coronavirus: Protective Clothing

Sir Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will place in the Library the background material on which the Deputy Chief Medical Officer announced on 20 March 2020 that the country has a perfectly adequate supply of personal protective equipment, PPE.

Jo Churchill: The Deputy Chief Medical Officer’s comments on 20 March referred to specific problems with deliveries to National Health Service trusts, in line with Public Health England Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Guidance at that time. Further distribution problems arose soon after and at the daily COVID-19 press conference on 31 March the Deputy Chief Medical Officer apologised and acknowledged that soon after her comment on 20 March, problems with distribution had returned. Systems set up to supply 226 NHS trusts have had to increase their operations in a matter of weeks to provide drops of critical equipment to 58,000 healthcare settings including general practitioners, pharmacies and social care providers. This required a huge scaling up of our logistics capability.

Protective Clothing: Coronavirus

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the number of civil servants working on procurement of personal protective equipment for (a) the NHS, (b) social care settings and (c) workplaces where employees are required to be physically present for work during the covid-19 outbreak.

Jo Churchill: Holding answer received on 02 June 2020



As set out in the ‘Coronavirus (COVID-19): personal protective equipment (PPE) plan’ published on 10 April, we have taken a centralised approach to the procurement of PPE, to limit the potential for different parts of the health and social care sector to compete against each other and push prices up further The Government has set up a cross-Government PPE sourcing unit, now staffed by over 400 people, to secure new supply lines from across the world and has published rigorous standards against which purchases will be made.

Protective Clothing: Procurement

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the (a) value of Government PPE procurement contracts and (b) proportion of personal protective equipment orders fulfilled in each year since 2016.

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the value was of Government PPE procurement contracts for each country supplier; and what proportion of personal protective equipment orders were fulfilled in the 2018-19 financial year.

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the (a) amount and (b) value of outstanding Government personal protective equipment procurement contracts.

Jo Churchill: Holding answer received on 02 June 2020



There are a number of channels by which personal protective equipment (PPE) is sourced by National Health Service providers. This includes sourcing it independently as well as provision through a central procurement model for a number of years. During the period covered by this question, the NHS Supply Chain created in 2006 underwent a restructuring in April 2018 with the creation of Supply Chain Coordination. Furthermore in March 2020 a new dedicated unit was set up to focus on securing supplies of PPE. This unit identified PPE suppliers from across the globe to meet the increasing demand for a growing list of PPE products. We have now contracted with over 150 suppliers able to deliver at the scale and pace the United Kingdom requires. The multiple channels, changes to structures, administrative practices and routes to source PPE mean that meaningful comparable figures for the years specified are not available.

Coronavirus: Nike

Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he was made aware of the Swindon Nike store and Sunderland Head Office being sanitised after the covid-19 outbreak at the Nike Conference in Edinburgh in February 2020.

Jo Churchill: Holding answer received on 02 June 2020



Public Health England (PHE) did not have any contact with the Nike Factory Store Swindon.PHE North East were contacted by the Head Office in Sunderland on 2 and 3 March 2020 to report illness amongst employees attending the Nike conference. The Head Office was referred to Health Protection Scotland as the lead organisation in the incident response.

Care Homes: Coronavirus

Thangam Debbonaire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance his Department has issued to care homes on the (a) clinical and (b) other criteria that should be taken into account on whether a resident with symptoms of covid-19 should be taken to hospital for treatment.

Helen Whately: Holding answer received on 02 June 2020



Guidance on supporting care home residents who may require hospital care is set out in the ‘Admission and Care of Residents during COVID-19 Incident in a Care Home’ guidance published on 2 April 2020. This includes assessing the appropriateness of hospitalisation as per the resident’s treatment plan, following infection prevention and control guidelines for patient transport, and informing the receiving healthcare facility that the incoming patient has COVID-19 symptoms. Our Adult Social Care Action Plan, published on 15 April 2020, confirms that where a care home resident is suffering from more severe COVID-19 symptoms, the individual may need to be admitted to hospital. Decisions should always be made in line with clinical need. Additionally, on 1 May 2020, NHS England and NHS Improvement published a letter: ‘COVID-19 response: Primary care and community health support care home residents.’ The letter reiterates that secondary care providers should accept referrals and admissions from care home residents where clinically appropriate. This is an unprecedented global pandemic and we will continue to review our guidance in line with the latest scientific advice.

Dental Services: Coronavirus

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that all dental practices can access the (a) personal protective and (b) other equipment they require to safely resume routine dental services when covid-19 lockdown measures are eased.

Jo Churchill: NHS England and NHS Improvement announced on 28 May that National Health Service dentistry outside urgent care centres will begin to restart from 8 June with the aim of increasing levels of service as fast as is compatible with maximising safety. The letter outlines that practices need to consider the Public Health England guidance on infection control protocols and personal protective equipment (PPE) in order to deliver care in a way that is safe, operationally deliverable and allows dental practices flexibility to do what is best for patients and their teams.

Care Homes: Coronavirus

Alexander Stafford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure the rollout of large-scale, rapid testing for covid-19 in cares homes in Rother Valley constituency.

Ms Nadine Dorries: We are rapidly upscaling our satellite testing capabilities to provide a more agile and flexible method of testing in care homes.Under the satellite model, we distribute test kits to a National Health Service trust or care facility that has a pressing need, and then collect and process the resulting swabs through the COVID-19 National Testing Programme labs.For all constituencies across England, including Rother Valley, we have delivered whole care home testing to all care homes for over 65s and people with dementia and from 7 June rolled out whole care home testing to all other adult care homes.

Coronavirus: Children

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Education on the covid-19 testing of children under five years of age in the context of the reopening of schools, nurseries and childcare settings.

Ms Nadine Dorries: Holding answer received on 04 June 2020



The phased reopening of schools for some year groups from 1 June is crucial to getting the country back on its feet. Testing symptomatic children is fundamental to this success. This will also be supported by, but is not dependent on, the NHS Test and Trace service. Testing will remain available to any child who develops symptoms of COVID-19 or who lives with someone who does in England and Wales.

Coronavirus: Screening

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the cost to the public purse is for each contract for the running of a UK covid-19 testing centre; and how many tests each such centre has carried out.

Ms Nadine Dorries: Holding answer received on 04 June 2020



We do not publish testing data broken down by site. As of 3 June 2020, there are 156 operational test locations which consist of a combination of many different types of site from large multi-lane drive-in sites to single van mobile test facilities to walk-in city centre locations. They are staffed by a number of different commercial organisations and the armed forces. Each of the contracts spans multiple disciplines.

Coronavirus: Twickenham

Munira Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many tests have been carried out in the Twickenham Stadium covid-19 testing site each day since its establishment; and what its daily testing capacity has been on each of those days.

Ms Nadine Dorries: We do not publish data broken down by test centre. As of 1 June, 54 Regional Testing Sites were open nationwide.

Protective Clothing: Procurement

Robert Largan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will undertake a review of how NHS procurement rules could be changed to benefit domestic manufacturing of personal protective equipment.

Jo Churchill: Lord Deighton is leading the Government effort to unleash the potential of British industry to manufacture personal protective equipment (PPE) for the health and social care sectors. This will build on the manufacturing opportunities the Government has already identified and contribute to the national effort to meet the unprecedented demand. The Government is also working to support the scale-up of engineering efforts for small companies capable of contributing to supplies. The Government have now signed contracts for over 2 billion items of PPE through United Kingdom-based manufacturers, including aprons, facemasks, visors, gowns and aprons, ensuring we build and maintain a domestic base for the future.

Coronavirus: Screening

Dr Dan Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of how (a) older and (b) vulnerable residents in (i) sheltered accommodation and (ii) limited access to transportation should access testing for covid-19 in a safe and convenient manner.

Ms Nadine Dorries: We offer a range of testing options, including drive-through centres, home delivery and mobile testing units, as well as satellite testing for specific groups such as care homes. We are continually working to improve and widen access to testing and are working with local areas to increase the avenues through which all people and, in particular vulnerable groups, can be tested.

Coronavirus: Patients

Nadia Whittome: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take to tackle the delay in medical professionals adding patients that are clinically vulnerable to covid-19 to the shielded patients list.

Jo Churchill: Only clinically extremely vulnerable people are included on the shielded patient list. Following the update to shielding guidance on 31 May 2020, the National Health Service has written to general practitioners (GPs), NHS trusts and commissioners asking them to continue to maintain the shielded patient list, using the existing criteria and processes. GPs or specialists are able to add individual patients to the list where they consider them to be clinically extremely vulnerable. They may also remove people from the list where they believe someone has been identified in error through the national process, or if they no longer think someone is clinically extremely vulnerable. This should only ever be done in consultation with the patient and other clinicians where appropriate. Anyone who is concerned about whether or not they should be shielding, should contact their doctor to discuss.

Diabetes: Medical Treatments

Chris Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what processes are in place to monitor variation in the prescribing of technologies for people with diabetes in formularies throughout England.

Jo Churchill: There are a variety of processes used to monitor prescribing patterns and variation in the prescribing of technologies for people with diabetes. These are based on community pharmacy reimbursement data and include tools such as Open Prescribing, which is publicly available on the NHS Business Services Authority’s ePACT2 platform and PrescQIPP.

Coronavirus: Disease Control

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the Government’s criteria are for the application of the precautionary principle in relation to public health risks; on what occasions the precautionary principle has been applied to tackling covid-19 outbreak; and if he will make a statement.

Jo Churchill: The precautionary principle is conventionally used to “advise caution in the uptake of innovations with known benefits but uncertain or unmeasurable downsides”. The public health response to COVID-19 considers all available scientific evidence, as well as expert scientific advice. Where there is scientific uncertainty, it is not unusual for public health authorities to take a reasonable but precautionary approach, such as buying ventilators and creating Nightingale hospitals.

Coronavirus: Screening

Afzal Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that people who do not have a car and therefore cannot access drive-through covid-19 testing centres may be tested for covid-19.

Ms Nadine Dorries: Drive-through testing sites are only one of a number of routes to access testing. Those without a car can order a test directly to their home quickly and easily.

Coronavirus: Screening

Afzal Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the accuracy of home testing kits for covid-19.

Ms Nadine Dorries: All Home Testing Kits go through rigorous external scientific and clinical review process before being put into use.An increasingly broad range of international peer reviewed evidence demonstrates that self-swabbing for COVID-19 is just as effective as clinician-administered swabbing.

Coronavirus: Screening

Afzal Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what (a) medical evidence his Department has considered on and (b) recent assessment his Department has made of the reliability of (i) nasal and (ii) throat swabs taken for at-home testing kits for covid-19.

Ms Nadine Dorries: All home testing kits go through rigorous external scientific and clinical review process before being put into use.An increasingly broad range of international peer reviewed evidence demonstrates that self-swabbing for COVID-19 is just as effective as clinician-administered swabbing.

Coronavirus: Screening

Afzal Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what comparative assessment his Department has made of the accuracy of home testing kits for covid-19 and tests conducted by healthcare professionals.

Ms Nadine Dorries: All home testing kits go through rigorous external scientific and clinical review process before being put into use.An increasingly broad range of international peer reviewed evidence demonstrates that self-swabbing for COVID-19 is just as effective as clinician-administered swabbing.

Blood Cancer: Coronavirus

Martyn Day: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effect on health outcomes of (a) delayed and (b) cancelled treatments for patients with (i) multiple myeloma and (ii) other blood cancers during the covid-19 pandemic.

Jo Churchill: The Office for National Statistics (ONS) published data on Friday 5 May 2020 showing that there has been no significant increase in excess mortality from cancers with a moderate survival rate between January to May 2020.NHS England and NHS Improvement issued clear guidance that essential and urgent cancer treatments must continue. Local systems and Cancer Alliances were asked to identify ring-fenced diagnostic and surgical capacity for cancer, so that referrals, diagnostics and treatment can be brought back to pre-pandemic levels at the earliest opportunity to minimise potential harm, and to reduce the scale of the post-pandemic surge in demand.

Social Services: Coronavirus

Munira Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which suppliers the Government has contracts with to provide personal protective equipment to social care providers.

Jo Churchill: Holding answer received on 08 June 2020



The Government has massively expanded both our supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) from overseas and our domestic manufacturing capability.The Government has contracted with over 100 new suppliers able to deliver at the scale and pace the United Kingdom requires and is building up UK manufacturing with signed contracts to manufacture over 2 billion items of PPE through UK-based manufacturers, including facemasks, visors, gowns and aprons. This includes companies such as: Survitec; Bolle; Jaguar Land Rover; Don & Low; and Burberry.

Coronavirus: Screening

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of Government-provided covid-19 swab kit tests sent in the post are (a) returned and (b) correctly administered.

Ms Nadine Dorries: As of 3 May 2020, 62% of home test kits had been returned. This figure is on an upward trajectory and the seven-day rolling average is significantly higher than the year-to-date figure.Of those tests returned, over 98% have been correctly administered.

Coronavirus: Screening

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of covid-19 home testing kits are sent out and not returned in (a) each region and (b) the UK.

Ms Nadine Dorries: Holding answer received on 08 June 2020



As of 3 June 2020, 62% of Home Test Kits had been returned. This figure is on an upward trajectory and the seven-day rolling average is significantly higher than the year-to-date figure.It is not currently possible to break down return rates on a regional basis.

Coronavirus: Protective Clothing

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of supplies of personal protective equipment in the event that the covid-19 reproduction (R) rate rises above 1.

Jo Churchill: We have massively expanded our supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) from overseas and domestically. We have contracted with over 100 new suppliers able to deliver at the scale and pace the United Kingdom requires. We are continuing to sign further deals to make our position more secure. We recently secured a further 3.7 billion gloves to help meet the expected demand and we are building up UK manufacturing capability. We have signed contracts for over 2 billion items of PPE through UK-based manufacturers, including aprons, facemasks, visors and gowns. We are confident in the stocks and sources of supply of PPE to meet the needs of health and social care over the next 7 and 90 days.

Gender Recognition: Health Services

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 13 March 2020 to Question 27500 and with reference to the Answer of 6 June 2019 to Question 259019 on Gender Recognition: Clinics, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on NHS England’s pilot of new gender dysphoria services for adults.

Jo Churchill: Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust and Chelsea and Westminster NHS Foundation Trust, have been awarded the contracts for two new adult gender dysphoria services in London which are now in mobilisation phase.A separate tender process for a new service in Greater Manchester will conclude by the end of June 2020.All services will be evaluated as pilots over a period of up to three years.The COVID-19 pandemic has not significantly delayed the planned commencement of the pilot services.NHS England and NHS Improvement is still assessing the impact of the NHS responding to the COVID-19 pandemic on the waiting times for a number of clinical services, including gender dysphoria services.

Local Government: Coronavirus

Mr Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that local authorities at risk of an increase in covid-19 cases in their areas are able to procure adequate numbers of body bags; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the Government is taking to engage with local authority leaders on the supply of body bags.

Mr Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the Government is taking to mitigate the potential effects of a national shortage of body bags in the event of a second spike in covid-19 cases.

Jo Churchill: The Government published “Coronavirus (COVID-19): personal protective equipment (PPE) plan” on 10 April. It incorporates guidance on who needs PPE and when they need it, routes to ensure those who need it can get it at the right time and sets out actions to secure enough PPE to last through the crisis. PPE includes aprons, eye protectors, face masks, gloves, gowns, hand hygiene, clinical waste bags and body bags.Since publication of the plan, the Government has massively expanded both our supply of PPE from overseas and our domestic manufacturing capability, which will deliver at the scale and pace the United Kingdom requires and ensures that we build and maintain a domestic base for the future.The Government has also published PPE guidance for those involved in the care and management of the deceased and has authorised the release of millions of PPE items to local resilience forums to help them respond to urgent local spikes in need across the adult social care system and some other frontline services, such as mortuary and funeral services, where providers are unable to access PPE through their usual, or dedicated wholesaler routes.

Children: Protective Clothing

Sir Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether any steps are being taken to enable personal protective equipment to be reused by the NHS and care sector.

Jo Churchill: This is an international challenge that many countries are experiencing. We are working around the clock to give the National Health Service and social care sectors the personal protective equipment and support they need to tackle this outbreak.Public Health England published ‘COVID-19 personal protective equipment (PPE)’ updated guide on 17 April. This advises that suitable decontamination arrangements for some PPE items should be obtained from the manufacturer, supplier or local infection control. This guidance also included advice on when PPE can be reused.

Hospitals: Patients

Mr David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of NHS patients were triaged under the Frailty Index mechanism in (a) March, (b) April and (c) May 2020.

Jo Churchill: NHS Digital publishes primary care data about the cumulative number of registered patients aged 65 years or over who have had a frailty assessment using the Electronic Frailty Index or any other appropriate assessment tool, up to the end of the reporting period. The data is reported quarterly on a cumulative basis as part of the General Medical Services / Personal Medical Services core contract data collection.The latest available publication covers the reporting period up to 31 March 2020. This is available at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/gp-contract-services/2019-20

Coronavirus: Funerals

Darren Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when the Government plans to issue revised guidance for managing a funeral during the covid-19 outbreak; and what changes the Government plans to make to that guidance.

Jo Churchill: Public Health England (PHE) is keeping all guidance related to COVID-19 under review, including ‘Managing a funeral during the coronavirus pandemic’. PHE updates guidance as new evidence emerges and legislation is updated.Updated guidance will be published shortly.

Dental Services: Protective Clothing

Nick Fletcher: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the level of risk of dentists using FFP2 masks instead of FFP3 masks when carrying out dental work; and what discussions he plans to have with representatives from insurance providers to ensure that dental practices using FFP2 masks are insured.

Jo Churchill: A risk assessment specifically relating to dentists using FFP2 instead of FFP3 respirators has not been made. Government guidance for dentists states that FFP3 respirators are advised for all aerosol generating procedures (AGPs) to prevent inhalation of aerosols. Some dental work is classed as AGPs. The Health and Safety Executive carried out a rapid review of the evidence of the effectiveness of FFP3, FFP2 and N95 masks earlier this year. The review stated that FFP2 and N95 respirators offer protection against COVID-19 and so may be used if FFP3 respirators are not available. Further information is available at the following link: https://www.hse.gov.uk/news/face-mask-equivalence-aprons-gowns-eye-protection-coronavirus.htm

Coronavirus: Death

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people in each country in Europe have (a) been infected by Covid-19 and (b) died of Covid-19; and how many of those people are BAME.

Jo Churchill: Holding answer received on 11 June 2020



Data are not available in the format requested.

Hearing Impairment: Screening

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of including hearing screening in the NHS Health Checks programme offered to people from the ages of 40 to 74.

Jo Churchill: In May 2019, the NHS Health Check Expert Scientific and Clinical Advisory Panel (ESCAP) received a content review proposal to consider amending the NHS Health Check to include hearing loss. ESCAP members recognised the importance and impact of hearing loss as a public health issue, and it was agreed that the group would await the outcome of the United Kingdom National Screening Committee’s (UK NSC) review of evidence on hearing screening, before considering changes to the programme. The UK NSC recommendation on hearing loss screening in adults is still currently under review.Public Health England has been commissioned to deliver an evidence-based review of the NHS Health Check programme. This externally chaired review will consider and make recommendations on future changes to the content of the NHS Health Check.

Coronavirus: Wirral

Ms Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason the average mortality rate for covid-19 per 100,000 people is higher in Wirral than the average mortality rate in (a) North West of England and (b) the UK.

Jo Churchill: Holding answer received on 11 June 2020



The variation in incidence and mortality rates between national, regional and upper tier local authority level is influenced by a range of factors including the epidemiology of the disease and risk factors such as demography and behaviour. Other local factors causing variability in the number of tests carried out can also affect the observed mortality rates. These factors include the number of people accessing testing, and the number of tests that are carried out in the investigation and control of local incidents and outbreaks.Public Health England has published a rapid review to better understand how different factors such as ethnicity, deprivation, age, gender and obesity can impact on how people are affected by COVID-19. The Disparities in the risk and outcomes of COVID-19 review can be viewed on the GOV.UK website at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-review-of-disparities-in-risks-and-outcomes

Coronavirus: Death

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people that died of non-covid-19 causes in (a) care homes and (b) the community saw a GP in the week before they died (i) in person and (ii) via video in each week from 2 March to 4 May 2020.

Jo Churchill: The data is not available in the format requested.

Public Health: Coronavirus

Thangam Debbonaire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the Government has taken to ensure that health guidance on covid-19 for people with underlying conditions has been made available in community languages.

Jo Churchill: Public Health England provides health guidance for the public on households with possible COVID-19 infection and shielding advice for COVID-19 for people with underlying health conditions. This information has been translated into the following languages: Bengali, French, Gujarati, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Romanian, Simplified Chinese - Mandarin, Traditional Chinese - Cantonese, Urdu and Welsh.

Coronavirus: Disease Control

Dame Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will place in the Library a copy of the relevant scientific advice upon which the current shielding guidance for the clinically vulnerable is based.

Jo Churchill: The scientific advice supporting the original Government policy on shielding is contained in the minutes published by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies on 10 March 2020 and is available at the following link: www.gov.uk/government/publications/sage-minutes-coronavirus-covid-19-response-10-march-2020. A copy is also attached.As our understanding of the virus increases, the Government continues to review the emerging evidence. We will continue to listen to our medical advisers on the level of clinical risk the virus presents to different groups of people at different points in time.At each review point for the social distancing measures, we will also review the risks for the clinically extremely vulnerable and assess whether the shielding period needs to be extended or whether it is possible for the shielding guidance to be eased further. We will base our assessment on clinical advice from our medical experts, and the best data available about the prevalence of COVID-19 in the community.

Public Health: Expenditure

Afzal Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much has been spent from ring-fenced public health budgets in each year since 2012.

Jo Churchill: The following table shows the ring-fenced grant in each year since inception in 2013/14, together with the movement in public health reserves each year (the amount unspent). Data for 2012 are not available as the grant has only been in existence since 2013/14. Spend from the ring-fenced public health budgets, 2013/14 – 2018/19YearRing-Fenced Grant (£ billion)Movement on Reserves carried / forward (£ billion)Net Spend from Grant in the year (£ billion)2013-142.660.212.462014-152.790.112.682015-163.03-0.063.092016-173.39-0.013.402017-183.30-0.013.312018-193.220.003.22Total18.400.2418.16Notes:2019/20 data has not yet been published.The grant was increased on 1 September 2015 to include public health spend on Children’s 0-5.The above figures include Manchester local authorities who have received their grant through a Business Rates Retention pilot since 2017/18.These data are published at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/local-authority-revenue-expenditure-and-financing

Cancer: Charities

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on the implementation of the NHS Cancer Plan of the loss of income of medical research charities specialising in cancer research.

Helen Whately: The NHS Long Term Plan (January 2019) sets out that the National Health Service will speed up the path from innovation to business-as-usual, spreading proven new techniques and technologies and reducing variation. New investments will ensure the next generation of treatments are implemented rapidly across the NHS.Medical research charities are an integral part of the United Kingdom’s world-leading life sciences sector. The Department is closely liaising with the Association of Medical Research Charities, as well as individual charities, to understand the impact of the pandemic on this sector and identify how best the Government and charities can work together to ensure that patients continue benefiting from charity funded research.

Protective Clothing: Coronavirus

Ruth Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of personal protective equipment procured by the Government during the covid-19 outbreak has been manufactured by UK businesses.

Jo Churchill: There has been limited domestic manufacture of personal protective equipment (PPE) to date. Lord Deighton is leading the Government effort to unleash the potential of British industry to manufacture PPE for the health and social care sectors. We have identified opportunities and sourced new supply channels for materials to make PPE at pace, enabling new manufacturing to commence. The Government is also working to support the scale-up of engineering efforts for small companies capable of contributing to supplies.The Government has signed contracts to manufacture over 2 billion items of PPE through United Kingdom-based manufacturers, including aprons, facemasks, visors and gowns and has already taken delivery of products from new, certified UK manufacturers. These will contribute to the national effort to meet the unprecedented demand for PPE.

Mental Health Services: Young People

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans the Government has to increase mental health service provision for 18-25 year olds who have reported mental health issues relating to the lockdown due to the covid-19 outbreak.

Ms Nadine Dorries: Holding answer received on 15 June 2020



Mental health services remain open and are working to support people with mental health problems through the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. The Government and NHS England and NHS Improvement are working closely with mental health trusts to ensure those who need them continue to have access to mental health services, including 18-25 year olds. For those with severe needs or in crisis, NHS England has instructed all National Health Service mental health trusts to establish 24 hours a day, seven days a week mental health crisis lines, clearly accessible from trust websites as an urgent priority. Mental health providers are using digital and virtual channels such as helplines and video consultations, to keep delivering support and manage the impact of self-isolation on staff and patients. In addition, we have published official guidance on mental health and wellbeing on GOV.UK and promoting this through Every Mind Matters.

Exercise Cygnus: Care Homes

Sir Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to Exercise Cygnus that took place in 2016, what the findings of that exercise were in relation to care homes; and whether any recommendations for that sector were (a) identified and (b) implemented as a result of that exercise.

Helen Whately: The lessons identified as a result of Exercise Cygnus continue to be considered by the Government and a range of stakeholders, including expert advisory groups and local emergency planners.Taking the recommendations from Exercise Cygnus, the Department commissioned further work on pandemic influenza preparedness from the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services. This was completed in the spring of 2018 and included advice and guidance on planning for a pandemic, which was circulated to Directors of Adult Social Services.

Health Visitors: Coronavirus

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to make an assessment of the effect of the redeployment of health visitors on the wellbeing of babies and families during the covid-19 outbreak.

Jo Churchill: With the onset of COVID-19 some public health nurses were redeployed into hospitals where their expertise was most needed to care for acutely ill patients. It is important that these nurses return to help mitigate the negative impacts of the pandemic on families with young children.The ‘Restoration of community health services for children and young people: second phase of NHS response’ is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/publication/covid-19-prioritisation-within-community-health-services-with-annex_19-march-2020/Public Health England will also work with local authority commissioners and service providers to support the return of health visiting teams.

Spinal Muscular Atrophy: Nusinersen

Sir Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many sufferers of spinal muscular atrophy have not yet received the drug spinraza for which they are eligible following the decision of NICE; and if he will make a statement.

Jo Churchill: Holding answer received on 15 June 2020



As at June 2020, the number of patients receiving Spinraza for the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy treatment is 162. NHS England and NHS Improvement do not hold information on the number of eligible patients who have not yet received the drug Spinraza.The National Institute for Health and Social Care and NHS England and NHS Improvement took advice from clinical experts and reviewed the potential impact of COVID-19 on the delivery of Spinraza. As a result, there may be a delay for adult patients who have not yet been assessed. Access to treatment will resume once the current restrictions and limitations associated with the COVID-19 pandemic are lifted.

Hygiene: Products

Dr James Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had discussions with the Health and Safety Executive on including in Government guidance on approved hand sanitisers products that have an alcohol content of less than 60 per cent proof; and if he will make a statement.

Jo Churchill: Public Health England has not had any discussions with the Health and Safety Executive on the use of hand sanitisers products that have an alcohol content of less than 60% proof. The scientific evidence shows that alcohol-based hand sanitisers with ethanol at concentrations of at least 70% and up to 90% are effective against most enveloped viruses, such as COVID-19, within 30 seconds. At 95% the virucidal activity of ethanol covers the majority of clinically relevant viruses. Isopropyl alcohol has a similar but less virucidal range of activity.

Asthma: Steroid Drugs

Alex Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the number of high dose steroids a severe asthma patient would be prescribed for including that category of condition in the shielded patient list during the covid-19 outbreak is in line with the recommendation made by the Royal College of Physicians in Why asthma still kills: the National Review of Asthma Deaths.

Jo Churchill: Holding answer received on 16 June 2020



The decision to include people with severe respiratory conditions including all cystic fibrosis, severe asthma and severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on the shielded patient list was taken by expert doctors in England who identified specific medical conditions that, based on what we knew about the virus so far, would place someone at greatest risk of severe illness from COVID-19.These were signed off by the UK Senior Clinicians Group (including the four United Kingdom Chief Medical Officers and clinical leadership at NHS England and NHS Improvement, NHS Digital and Public Health England).

Asthma: Coronavirus

Alex Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people with severe asthma are on the shielded patients list.

Jo Churchill: Holding answer received on 16 June 2020



This information is not held in the format requested.

Department of Health and Social Care

Sir Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will list the dates of meetings (a) he and (b) his Ministers have had with (i) Professor Kevin Fenton, (ii) Professor John Newton and (iii) Chris Hopson, Chief Executive of NHS Providers since February 2020.

Sir Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many meetings (a) he and (b) his Ministers have had with (a) Professor Kevin Fenton and (b) Professor John Newton.

Edward Argar: The Department of Health and Social Care ministers have meetings with many arms-length body officials and stakeholders in the conduct of their ministerial duties.

Care Homes: Coronavirus

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the findings published by Age UK on 10 June 2020 that some care home residents are being required to pay extra fees to cover costs associated with the covid-19 outbreak, what assessment he has made of the (a) implications of those findings for his policies on adult social care and (b) likelihood that the inability of care home residents to meet those extra costs could precipitate care home closures.

Helen Whately: Where individuals are not eligible for financial support from their local authority, they make their own arrangements for care services and pay the fees. This is known as being a ‘self-funder’. The fees are set out in a contract between the individual and the care provider. The Government has no say in these private arrangements.A local authority must regularly reassess a person’s ability to meet the cost of any charges to take account of any changes to their income and assets.We recognise the pressures that COVID-19 is placing on the social care system. We have already provided £3.2 billion to local authorities and have made a £600 million Infection Control Fund available to care homes to allow them to take additional steps to reduce the spread.Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities are required to shape their whole local markets to ensure that they are sustainable, diverse and offer high quality care and support for people in their local area. The Care Act places a duty on local authorities to ensure that people continue to receive the services they need if their adult social care provider is no longer able to carry on delivering services.

Protective Clothing: Shops

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of making mandatory the use of face coverings in shops in response to the covid-19 outbreak.

Jo Churchill: Holding answer received on 17 June 2020



From Monday 15 June passengers must wear a face covering when travelling on public transport in England by bus, coach, tram, ferry, hovercraft, cable car, aircraft and domestic and international train. Guidance remains to work from home if you can and avoid public transport where possible, but face coverings can help people protect one another in environments when social distancing is more difficult. The Government has considered the potential merits of making face coverings mandatory in public places, such as shops. However, as the Secretary of State for Transport set out last week, the difference is that in a shop you may pass somebody but for a short period of time. However, on public transport you could be next to somebody for a long period of time. The guidance for shops is to not let the shop become overcrowded and to put measures in place to help maintain social distancing, but we do not have the same environment for public transport. Our guidance remains that we advise people to wear face coverings in enclosed spaces where social distancing is not possible, this could include indoor crowded areas such as some shops.

Employment: Coronavirus

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of deploying temperature checks more extensively to reduce the risk of covid-19 being spread in workplaces which are re-opening as lockdown restrictions are eased.

Jo Churchill: Holding answer received on 18 June 2020



Thermal screening at ports of entry was considered by expert committees including the Department’s, New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group. The findings were that thermal screening would be of limited benefit and that it was not the best use of public health resource. From that work, we would conclude that temperature checks are unlikely to be an effective means of protecting workplaces as many cases are asymptomatic and of the symptomatic cases not all will experience fever as a symptom, and therefore would not be identified through temperature checks.

Coronavirus: Screening

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the covid-19 diagnostic antibody tests being (a) evaluated and (b) supported by the Government contain animal-derived antibodies.

Ms Nadine Dorries: Holding answer received on 22 June 2020



The Government is backing efforts to develop a homegrown antibody test. A business consortium, UK Rapid Test Consortium (UK-RTC), including Oxford University, Abingdon Health, BBI Solutions and CIGA Healthcare has launched, in order to design and develop a new antibody test to determine whether people have had the virus. The development of this test will not involve testing on animals.

Diabetes: Coronavirus

Alex Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the vulnerability of people with diabetes to covid-19.

Jo Churchill: Holding answer received on 22 June 2020



Those with diabetes are already on the wider clinically vulnerable list and should be strictly following social distancing measures. The guidance on shielding and protecting people who are clinically extremely vulnerable from COVID-19 has been developed by expert doctors identifying specific medical conditions based on what we know about the virus so far. We will continue to keep this evidence under review.In addition, general practitioners and hospital specialists have been asked to recommend other patients follow shielding guidance, based on clinical judgement and an assessment of each individual’s needs.

Coronavirus: Disease Control

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the role that temperature screening cameras in public places could play in helping the safe lifting of the covid-19 lockdown.

Jo Churchill: Thermal screening was considered by expert committees including the Department’s, New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group. The findings were that thermal screening would be of limited benefit and that it was not the best use of public health resource. From that work, we would conclude that temperature screening cameras in public places are unlikely to be an effective means of protecting places as many cases are asymptomatic and of the symptomatic cases not all will experience fever as a symptom, and therefore would not be identified through temperature checks.

Postnatal Care: Coronavirus

Munira Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assesssment his Department has made of the effect of covid-19 outbreak on the (a) physical health, (b) mental health, and (c) safety of new mothers.

Ms Nadine Dorries: Holding answer received on 22 June 2020



The Government is working closely with research programmes learning from cases of pregnant women and new mothers with COVID-19 to be able to respond quickly and appropriately.To promote the safety of pregnant women during this pandemic, NHS England and NHS Improvement have developed guidance for the temporary reorganisation of intrapartum maternity care, launched a ‘Help Us to Help You’ communications campaign to encourage women to contact their midwife whenever they have any concerns, and is supporting the increase in virtual appointments with initiatives such as distributing 16,000 blood pressure monitors for pregnant women with hypertension to use at home. National Health Service specialist perinatal mental health services remain very much open for business and for those with severe needs or in crisis, all NHS mental health trusts have been instructed to establish 24 hours a day, seven days a week mental health crisis lines.

Mental Health Services: Children and Young People

Sir Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on waiting lists for CAMHS.

Ms Nadine Dorries: There is broad consensus that there is the potential for an increase in demand for children and young people’s mental health services as a result of the effects of the pandemic. We are working with the National Health Service and a wide range of stakeholders to assess potential need over the coming weeks and months and to plan accordingly.Mental health services are still open and working to support people with mental health issues through the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. Our community, talking therapies and children and young people’s services have deployed innovative digital tools to connect with people and provide ongoing support.

Contact Tracing: Computer Software

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if the Government will endorse a covid-19 symptom study app similar to those endorsed by the Scottish and Welsh governments.

Ms Nadine Dorries: Holding answer received on 22 June 2020



Project OASIS is a combined effort between NHSX and the jHub to create a much clearer picture of the public’s experience with COVID-19 by incorporating data from multiple third party symptom tracker apps commonly used by the public with the National Health Service’s own internal data. The data will be used by the NHS to understand the spread of COVID-19 at a national and local level.

Coronavirus: Research

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to commission research into the long terms effects of covid-19 on people whose symptoms last longer than three weeks.

Helen Whately: The Department invests over £1 billion a year in health and care research through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The following calls are currently open to researchers to submit proposals on the long-term effects of COVID-19.The NIHR Recovery and Learning Call will fund research to better understand and manage the health and social care consequences of the global COVID-19 pandemic beyond the acute phase. The research will focus specifically on health outcomes, public health, social care and health service delivery and to mitigate the impact of subsequent phases and aftermath.This follows on from the UK Research and Innovation-NIHR Rapid Response Rolling Call for COVID-19 research (closing at the end of June), which funds projects that could make a significant contribution to the understanding, prevention and/or management of the COVID-19 outbreak within 12 months.

Contact Tracing: Computer Software

Sarah Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the validity of reports that the NHS track and trace app will not work in (a) Croydon, (b) London and (c) other densely populated areas.

Ms Nadine Dorries: Holding answer received on 22 June 2020



Following rigorous field testing and a trial on the Isle of Wight, we have chosen to bring forward a solution that brings together the work that NHSX and Google/Apple have carried out separately. This is an important step that will bring together the necessary functionality required to carry out contact tracing across all parts of the United Kingdom.

Coronavirus: Disease Control

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to introduce (a) immunity passports or (b) other systems of health certification for covid-19.

Ms Nadine Dorries: In order to fully understand the potential of any certification we first need to improve our understanding of how the immune system responds to infection with the COVID-19 virus.COVID-19 is a new disease and the science around ‘immunity’ to the virus remains uncertain. We do not, for example, know how long an antibody response to the virus lasts nor whether having antibodies means one does not transmit the virus to othersIn order to gain answers to these critical scientific questions, the United Kingdom Government is conducting some of the biggest seroprevalence surveys in the world – using lab-based tests to monitor the number of people that are presenting an antibody response and how this response changes over time.

NHS: Disclosure of Information

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of protections for NHS whistle-blowers and their ability to publicly raise concerns on (a) gaps in healthcare provisions and (b) other matters without adverse repercussions.

Ms Nadine Dorries: Speaking up is vital for ensuring patient safety and quality services. The Employment Rights Act 1996, amended by the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998, gives legal protection to all workers who speak up whether in private or public. In addition, the Government established an independent National Guardian to drive cultural change across the National Health Service so that speaking up becomes business as usual. Legislation and cultural change are designed to create an environment of trust and we have seen some progress. The National Guardian’s latest Freedom to Speak Up Index showed that 82% of trusts had made it easier to speak up since 2015. If NHS workers feel uncomfortable raising concerns through their line management or clinical lead, they can speak to their Freedom to Speak Up Guardian or to regulators. NHS workers should be thanked for speaking up and never face detriment for doing so.

Nurses: Students

Olivia Blake: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many student nurses in (a) Yorkshire and Humber and (b) the UK were given paid placements in the NHS as part of recruitment measures to address the covid-19 crisis; and what proportion of those placements will end on or before 31 July 2020.

Helen Whately: Holding answer received on 22 June 2020



As at 29 May 2020, 26,355 nursing and midwifery students had opted into paid placement as part of the COVID-19 call to arms.Student placement numbers are not available by region.Year 3 students will be paid until at least 31 July 2020. Any Year 3 student who still has hours to complete will be paid until September to allow them to do this.Any year 2 students on placement until 31 July will be paid and after this, normal non-paid placements will be re-introduced along with Year 1 students.

Care Homes: Coronavirus

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what scientific evidence was used to support the policy that covid-19 tests were not provided to care homes with residents under 65.

Helen Whately: Holding answer received on 23 June 2020



We initially prioritised testing for homes that specialise in caring for older people and those living with dementia in line with Public Health England and Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies advice, as they are at higher risk of adverse consequences if they get the virus.All adult care homes can now access whole care home testing for all residents and asymptomatic staff through a digital portal.

Mental Health Services: Ethnic Groups

Alexander Stafford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the adequacy of the provision of mental health services for  BAME children.

Ms Nadine Dorries: We want to ensure that all children, including those from a black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) background, can access services according to clinical need. National Health Service mental health services have remained open throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and our community, talking therapies and children and young people’s services have deployed digital tools to connect with people and provide ongoing support.NHS England and NHS Improvement are working closely with BAME experts and others to support rapid knowledge and information sharing to encourage timely access to NHS mental health services, and just as importantly, good BAME experiences within those services.The Government has provided £9.2 million of additional funding for mental health charities to support adults and children. This includes charities that offer some support to BAME communities, such as the What? Centre.

NHS: Sanitary Products

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the level of need for period product provision in NHS facilities.

Edward Argar: Holding answer received on 23 June 2020



The Department is not aware of any assessment of the level of need for period product provision in National Health Service facilities having been undertaken.However, NHS England announced in March 2019 that providers of NHS-funded inpatient hospital services will offer period products to every hospital in-patient who needs them (including for long-term inpatients)This is under the terms of the NHS Standard Contract.

Midwives: Age

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the age profile is of NHS midwives; and how many NHS midwives in each age category are (a) UK nationals and (b) nationals of an EU member state.

Helen Whately: Holding answer received on 24 June 2020



NHS Digital publishes Hospital and Community Health Services workforce statistics. These include staff working in hospital trusts and clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), but not staff working in primary care, general practitioner surgeries, local authorities or other providers.The following table shows the age profile and nationality of National Health Service midwives in hospitals and CCGs as at December 2019, the latest available data. Other and Unknown includes staff with a nationality group of European Economic Area, Rest of World or Unknown. .All NationalitiesUnited KingdomEuropean UnionOther and UnknownAll age bands26,86324,1861,3461,331Under 251,7121,637512425 to 293,6213,2563006530 to 343,7443,3642869435 to 393,4173,08918714140 to 443,1982,87715516645 to 492,9912,65812121250 to 543,6853,3267728255 to 593,0272,7208522260 to 641,2351,067699965 and over2331921526

Health Services: Immigrants

Sarah Owen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if the Prime Minister's announcement of 21 May 2020, on the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS workers will include the dependants of NHS workers.

Edward Argar: Holding answer received on 24 June 2020



Department of Health and Social Care and Home Office officials are working at pace to implement the announcement for removing health and care workers from the Immigration Health Surcharge and further information will be available shortly.

Ophthalmic Services: Coronavirus

Darren Henry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with the College of Optometrists on enabling opticians to safely resume their services as the covid-19 lockdown is eased.

Jo Churchill: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Ophthalmic Services: Coronavirus

Darren Henry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when opticians will be able to reopen for routine appointments as part of the easing of the covid-19 lockdown.

Jo Churchill: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Eyesight: Health Services

Darren Henry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure individuals with (a) glaucoma and (b) other eye conditions are diagnosed and treated quickly as the covid-19 lockdown is eased.

Jo Churchill: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Mental Illness: Community Orders

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of people have been given compulsory Community Treatment Orders following first episode psychosis in each of the last three years.

Ms Nadine Dorries: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Mental Illness: Community Orders

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which mental health conditions can be subject to a Community Treatment Order.

Ms Nadine Dorries: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Mental Illness: Drugs

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what research his Department is undertaking on first episode psychosis and the long-term effect of anti-psychotic drugs.

Ms Nadine Dorries: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Contact Tracing: Germany

Sir Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with his German counterpart on their covid-19 contact tracing app; and if he will make a statement.

Ms Nadine Dorries: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Contact Tracing: Computer Software

Sir Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much his Department has spent on developing the (a) NHS covid-19 app and (b) Apple/Google designed app.

Ms Nadine Dorries: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Contact Tracing: Computer Software

Sir Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will list the dates of meetings (a) he and (b) his officials have had with representatives of Apple and Google to discuss their covid-19 tracing app.

Ms Nadine Dorries: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Contact Tracing: Computer Software

Sir Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the cost to the public purse was of the Isle of Wight pilot of the NHS covid-19 tracing app.

Ms Nadine Dorries: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Contact Tracing: Computer Software

Sir Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many staff in his Department are working on a covid-19 tracing app.

Ms Nadine Dorries: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Hepatitis: Public Health

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of including hepatitis C in the Public Health England Public Health Outcomes Framework.

Jo Churchill: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Hepatitis: Health Services

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people commenced treatment for hepatitis C in the financial year 2019-20, by operational delivery network area.

Jo Churchill: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Visual Impairment: Social Distancing

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the exceptions to social distancing rules are for people with visual impairments who depend on assistance from others.

Helen Whately: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Visual Impairment: Social Distancing

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether there is an exception to the 2 metre social distancing rule to allow people with visual impairments to seek help from passers-by in crossing the road.

Helen Whately: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Hospitals: Dementia

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to permit family visits to patients with dementia in hospital during the covid-19 lockdown.

Helen Whately: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Hospitals: Dementia

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effect on hospital patients with dementia of the recent bans on family visits as a result of the covid-19 outbreak; and if he will make a statement.

Helen Whately: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Dementia: Coronavirus

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the covid-19 social care taskforce plans to make an assessment of the effect of covid-19 on people affected by dementia.

Helen Whately: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Deloitte: Coronavirus

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 11 June 2020 to Question 48980 on Deloitte: Coronavirus, to whom Deloitte is required to report positive cases of covid-19; and within what timeframe those positive cases are required to be so reported.

Ms Nadine Dorries: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Deloitte: Coronavirus

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 11 June 2020 to Question 48980 on Deloitte: Coronavirus, whether his office was involved in the negotiation of the contract with Deloitte to perform covid-19 testing.

Ms Nadine Dorries: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Children: Obesity

Darren Henry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the Government has taken to review the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on delivery of the Childhood Obesity Action Plan.

Jo Churchill: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Obesity: Children

Alex Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Childhood Obesity Plan, when the calorie reduction programme will be implemented; and whether that programme will be mandatory.

Jo Churchill: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Cancer: Medical Treatments

Alex Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many oncology combination therapies have been assessed by NICE via the Single Technology Appraisal process; how many of those received a positive recommendation for routine NHS commissioning; and how many have been made available through the cancer drugs fund, over the last five years.

Jo Churchill: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Cancer: Medical Treatments

Alex Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether NICE will make an assessment of the potential merits of changing the cost-effectiveness thresholds for new combination therapies as part of the NICE methods review; and if he can provide an update on the progress of that review.

Jo Churchill: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Blood Cancer: Medical Treatments

Alex Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure blood cancer patients can access chemotherapy and systemic anti-cancer therapies (a) safely and (b) in a timely manner during the covid-19 outbreak.

Jo Churchill: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Blood Cancer: Medical Treatments

Alex Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many patients with (a) blood cancer and (b) multiple myeloma have had their treatment switched from intravenous to oral treatment during the covid-19 outbreak; and what assessment he has made of the potential long term effect on patients of switching treatment regimens.

Jo Churchill: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Coronavirus: Screening

Mohammad Yasin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many drive through covid-19 tests have been carried out in (a) Bedfordshire and (b) England in each month since 23 March 2020; and how many of those tests had results generated within the 48-hour target.

Ms Nadine Dorries: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Mental Health Services: West Lancashire

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure adequate local provision of mother and baby mental health units for people in West Lancashire constituency.

Ms Nadine Dorries: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Coronavirus: Protective Clothing

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the UK-wide Covid-19: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Plan, what recent assessment he has made of the equitable distribution of PPE across the four nations of the UK.

Jo Churchill: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Coronavirus: Protective Clothing

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the UK-wide Covid-19: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Plan, how many items have been sold to suppliers by Public Health England on the condition that they would only be given to practices in England.

Jo Churchill: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

NHS: Coronavirus

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 11 May 2020 to Question  39482, if he will confirm whether he has had discussions with the Health and Safety Executive since the beginning of March 2020.

Helen Whately: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Coronavirus: Screening

Dr Philippa Whitford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many covid-19 tests performed at home were sent to testing centres on each day from 27 April 2020 to 5 May 2020.

Ms Nadine Dorries: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Coronavirus

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential for increases in post-viral complications, symptoms and ME as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.

Helen Whately: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Department of Health and Social Care: Early Day Motions

Patrick Grady: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish a response to EDM 521 on the UK law on disability-selective abortion.

Helen Whately: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Department of Health and Social Care: Public Opinion

Judith Cummins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much his Department spent on (a) opinion polling and (b) focus groups in each month since January 2019.

Edward Argar: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Department for International Development

China: Overseas Aid

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much Official Development Assistance her Department has spent in China in each of the last five years.

Nigel Adams: The Department for International Development (DFID) does not spend Official Development Aid (ODA) bilaterally in China, nor has it done in any of the last five years. China does, however, receive ODA through multilateral institutions that DFID provides core funding to. The Statistics on International Development (SID) provides data on this at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/878406/Table-A10-7April2020.ods

India: Overseas Aid

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much Official Development Assistance her Department has spent in India in each of the last five years.

Nigel Adams: The Department for International Development (DFID) invests in and partners with India to promote prosperity, reduce poverty and address climate change, while generating returns and creating trade, investment and other partnership opportunities for the UK. Financial Aid to India ended in 2015. DFID deploys technical assistance and expertise to stimulate mutual prosperity and generate new markets. DFID uses Development Capital Investment to invest in Indian companies, alongside co-investment from Indian Government bodies, with the returns coming back to HMG in due course. Thus far £63.43 million has been returned. In the past five years DFID has spent the following amounts in India. Data for 2019 will be published in the Autumn.  2015201620172018Technical Assistance£86,757,207£32,092,840£22,164,717£23,518,884Development Capital Investment£33,606,105£22,115,930£25,526,321£21,812,215Financial Aid£30,027,560£0£0£0Total£150,390,872£54,208,770£47,691,038£45,331,099 India also receives ODA through multilateral institutions to whom DFID provides core funding. Information on all UK ODA spend is published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-international-development/about/statistics.

Department for International Development: Reorganisation

Anna McMorrin: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of merging her Department with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on the UK’s ability to meet the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan: The UK remains committed to the Sustainable Development Goals. The SDGs will play an important role in post-COVID-19 recovery, recognising the connection between healthy lives, healthy societies and a healthy environment. As the Prime Minister affirmed on 28 May, we owe it to future generations to build back better, basing our recovery on a fairer, greener and more resilient global economy, and to get our shared goals back on track, including the Sustainable Development Goals.

Department for Education

Pupils: Disadvantaged

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has to support the families of pupils on free school meals in the Hendon constituency during the school summer holidays in 2020.

Bob Blackman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has to support the families of pupils on free school meals in Harrow East constituency during the school summer holidays in 2020.

Ian Paisley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has to support the families of pupils on free school meals in during the school summer holidays in 2020; and whether support will be available in Northern Ireland.

Layla Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has to provide financial support to the families of pupils on free school meals in Oxford West and Abingdon constituency during the 2020 school summer holidays.

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has to support the families of pupils on free school meals in Leicester South constituency during the school summer holidays in 2020.

Liz Twist: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to support the families of pupils eligible for free school meals in Blaydon constituency during the school summer holidays in 2020.

Dame Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has to support the families of pupils on free school meals in Kingston upon Hull North during the school summer holidays in 2020.

Abena Oppong-Asare: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has to support the families of pupils on free school meals during the school summer holidays in 2020 in Erith and Thamesmead constituency.

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has to support the families of pupils on free school meals in Slough constituency during the school summer holidays in 2020.

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has to support the families of pupils on free school meals in Stretford and Urmston during the school summer holidays in 2020.

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has to support the families of pupils on free school meals in Bristol East during the school summer holidays in 2020.

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has to support the families of pupils on free school meals in Birmingham Selly Oak constituency during the school summer holidays in 2020.

Ms Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has to support the families of pupils on free school meals in Wallasey constituency during the school summer holidays in 2020.

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has to support the families of pupils on free school meals in Harlow during the school summer holidays in 2020.

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has to support the families of pupils on free school meals in West Lancashire during the school summer holidays in 2020.

Alex Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will introduce a deadline for the use of free school meal vouchers during the covid-19 outbreak.

Dr Dan Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment his Department has made of the effect on the most deprived families of the cessation of free school meal vouchers over the 2020 summer holidays.

Dr Dan Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support he plans to make available to the most deprived families to mitigate the cessation of free school meal vouchers over the 2020 summer holidays.

Mary Kelly Foy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has to support the families of pupils who qualify for free school meals in County Durham during the school summer holidays in 2020.

Vicky Ford: I refer the hon. Members to the answer I gave on 23 June 2020 to Question 54195.

Schools: Coronavirus

Dr Luke Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether it is his policy that all children will return to school at the start of the 2020-21 academic year.

Nick Gibb: We want to get all children and young people back into education as soon as the scientific advice allows because it is the best place for them to learn, and because we know how important it is for their mental wellbeing to have social interactions with their peers, carers and teachers.We are working to bring all children and young people back into education in September and engaging with stakeholders to achieve this.These are rapidly developing circumstances; we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.

Schools: Coronavirus

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance his Department has issued to schools and teachers on dealing with children refusing to abide by two metre social distancing requirements.

Nick Gibb: It is important for schools to be calm and disciplined environments, where everyone follows the rules. As outlined in the guidance published on 11 May, schools should update their behaviour policy to reflect the guidance on protective measures, including any new rules and routines. It should also include appropriate consequences (such as sanctions and rewards), so that teachers can ensure pupils understand the rules and can enforce them rigorously. The disciplinary powers that schools currently have, including exclusion, remain in place. Teachers will be aware that current circumstances may affect the emotional wellbeing of some pupils in ways that affect behaviour, and schools will need to ensure a proportionate response to situations that may arise. The guidance published on 11 May is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preparing-for-the-wider-opening-of-schools-from-1-june/planning-guide-for-primary-schools. Some children, including those with special educational needs and disabilities, may need extra support to ensure new norms and routines around protective measures and personal hygiene are clearly understood.

Schools: Coronavirus

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he has made an estimate of the amount of income lost by schools that usually raise funds through building lettings during the covid-19 outbreak.

Nick Gibb: The Department does not hold data specifically on the income schools generate through building lettings.We know that around 4% of schools’ total income is self-generated and in 2018-19 around half of this came from facilities and services. This includes letting premises and wrap around childcare services among other things.We recognise that over the last three months, schools may have lost some of this income and this could put pressure on budgets.Where schools have members of staff delivering these services, we have advised that they should first look to redeploy these staff or use existing budgets to absorb the cost. Having looked at all other options, schools can then consider using the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to ease this pressure. The Department has provided additional guidance for schools in this situation: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-financial-support-for-education-early-years-and-childrens-social-care/coronavirus-covid-19-financial-support-for-education-early-years-and-childrens-social-care.

Children: Coronaviruse

Jonathan Gullis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support his Department is providing to vulnerable children in (a) Stoke-on-Trent and (b) Kidsgrove during the covid-19 outbreak.

Vicky Ford: We are taking a number of actions to ensure vulnerable children and young people across the country are supported and protected during COVID-19, including in Stoke-on-Trent and Kidsgrove. We have prioritised vulnerable children’s attendance in early years, schools and colleges throughout the COVID-19 outbreak, and supported local areas to improve attendance rates.We have also ensured that local authorities can continue to support vulnerable children through the provision of an additional £3.2 billion to cope with COVID-19 related pressures, including in children’s social care. To support contact, we are providing laptops and tablets to children with a social worker who do not have access to a device otherwise, either privately or through school. We are also providing 4G wireless routers to children with a social worker at secondary school in order to support them to maintain contact with their social worker and/or access remote education independently at home. The department is working to provide these devices in the shortest possible timeframe; deliveries to schools and local authorities began in May and have continued throughout June. As of 14 June, we have shipped over 100,000 laptops and 20,000 4G routers, including 1,433 to Stoke-on-Trent local authority for children with a social worker and care leavers and 1,588 to Staffordshire local authority for children with a social worker and care leavers, where Kidsgrove is situated.We have supported charities that provide vital services that are helping vulnerable children and young people. This includes providing £1.6 million for the NSPCC to expand its helpline so that adults can report their concerns about any child’s wellbeing. We have invested more than £7 million to Barnardo’s for the See, Hear, Respond service that offers targeted help to vulnerable children, young people and their families affected by COVID-19 with measures put in place to stop its spread. The Vulnerable Children National Charities Strategic Relief Fund opened in June, and is a £7.6 million joint Department for Education and Home Office fund for national children’s charities that offer services to safeguard vulnerable children that have financially suffered due to the impact of COVID-19. We have also announced more than £12 million for 14 innovation projects in social services, each taking a holistic, family-based approach to addressing the increased risk some children and young people are facing.As well as these actions across the country, the department has also established Regional Education and Children’s Teams (REACT) to provide additional support to education and children’s services in local areas, with the one for West Midlands covering Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire, which includes Kidsgrove. These teams, which include support from Ofsted, have a particular focus on improving vulnerable children’s attendance at education, safeguarding and wellbeing.The department is also continuing to provide funding to the Stoke-on-Trent Opportunity Area to provide support for vulnerable families across the city affected by COVID-19. This has allowed for the provision of academic resources for young people so they can continue to engage with education, and activities during the school holidays. The department’s delivery partner – The Hubb Foundation – also provides weekly food parcels for vulnerable families in need of support. Between April 2020 and June 2020, the Hubb Foundation delivered 70,740 individual meals and engaged with 19,839 people, of whom 11, 789 were children, and delivered food and activities in 32 schools across the city.

Children and Young People: Coronavirus

Jonathan Gullis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to protect children and young people online during the covid-19 outbreak.

Vicky Ford: At this deeply challenging time, it has been so important that people, especially children, have been able to stay in touch online, but that they be able to do so safely. We have worked with the National Crime Agency, UK Safer Internet Centre, Internet Matters, NSPCC and many other experts to provide detailed guidance to support schools and colleges to keep children safe online, whether in the classroom or learning from home, and advice and signposting to high quality resources for parents and carers to support them and their families.Our latest guidance on protecting children and young people online is set out below:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-schools-and-other-educational-settings;https://www.gov.uk/guidance/safeguarding-and-remote-education-during-coronavirus-covid-19;https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/teaching-online-safety-in-schools;https://www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-staying-safe-online; andhttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-keeping-children-safe-online.These are rapidly developing circumstances. We continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.

Financial Services: Primary Education

Emma Hardy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the effect of covid-19 lockdown on the provision of financial education to primary school pupils by (a) teachers and (b) voluntary organisations.

Nick Gibb: Due to the unprecedented challenges for schools caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, the Government understands that schools will need flexibility around the education they are providing to their pupils. We expect schools and teachers to use their professional judgement, and knowledge of their pupils’ educational needs and home circumstances, to plan appropriate content that enables education to continue.Our latest guidance on teaching children at this time is set out below:https://www.gov.uk/guidance/remote-education-during-coronavirus-covid-19.These are rapidly developing circumstances; we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.

Free School Meals: Voucher Schemes

Afzal Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, who he consulted in making the decision not to extend the free school meals voucher scheme over the school summer holidays in 2020.

Afzal Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will publish the impact assessment on the decision not to extend the free school meals voucher scheme over the 2020 school summer holidays.

Vicky Ford: Provision for free school meals is ordinarily term time only. However, owing to the coronavirus outbreak, the government fully understands that children and parents face an entirely unprecedented situation over the summer. To reflect this, we will be providing additional funding for a Covid-19 Summer Food Fund which will enable families with children who are eligible for free school meals to receive food vouchers covering the 6-week holiday period. This is a specific measure to reflect the unique circumstances of the outbreak.In response to Covid-19, the government has made significant wider support available for children and families, injecting over £6.5 billion into the welfare system to ensure people are receiving the support they need. This includes increasing the standard rate of Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit for this year by around £1,000 per year. On 10 June, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister confirmed an additional £63 million to be distributed to local authorities in England to help those who are struggling to afford food and other essentials due to COVID-19. A further £3.2 billion has gone to local authorities, supporting them with frontline services. Additionally, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs are providing £16 million for food support through charities including FareShare and WRAP. This summer, the department will also again run the Holiday Activities & Food programme, through which thousands of disadvantaged pupils will benefit from support.

Higher Education: Internet

Esther McVey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of online education compared to face to face learning in universities.

Michelle Donelan: For many years, UK higher education (HE) providers have delivered education online successfully and effectively, and a leading proponent of this has been the Open University, which in 2018/19 was the largest UK university - with over 63,000 UK full-time equivalent students. The growth in the use of educational technology has enabled HE providers to develop and grow their online offers, something which has been significantly accelerated by the recent COVID-19 outbreak, where online provision has been key to ensuring that effective teaching, learning and assessment have been able to continue. A recent report [1] from the Higher Education Policy Institute, attached, suggested the possibility that remote learning post-lockdown had brought some closer engagement between teaching staff and students and that this had even led to improved directed independent learning. To support the effectiveness of continued online provision, the Office for Students (OfS) has published information and guidance for providers and students, and the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education has also published a series of guides to support providers to secure academic standards and to support student achievement during the outbreak. The OfS has made it clear that all higher education providers must continue to meet conditions related to the quality of their courses and the standard of qualifications they award. This means ensuring that courses are high quality, students are supported and achieve good outcomes and standards are protected. The OfS will monitor outcomes to assess quality, using measures such as continuation rates, completion rates, student surveys and what students move onto after completing their studies. They will also be polling students in the next academic year to identify any providers or courses that are a cause for concern. This will allow for a targeted and focused approach to tackle any areas of concern.  [1] https://www.hepi.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/The-Student-Academic-Experience-Survey-2020.pdf



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Free School Meals

Margaret Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate his Department has made of the number of eligible pupils that did not register for free school meals in each of the financial years since the pupil premium was introduced.

Margaret Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of automatic enrolment for free school meals to ensure that all pupils receive their pupil premium allocation.

Vicky Ford: We want to make sure as many eligible pupils as possible are claiming their free school meals, and to make it as simple as possible for schools and local authorities to determine eligibility. To support this:we provide an Eligibility Checking System (ECS) to make the checking process as quick and straightforward as possible for schools and local authorities;we have developed a model registration form to help schools encourage parents to sign up for free school meals; andwe provide guidance to Jobcentre Plus advisers so that they can make Universal Credit recipients aware that they may also be entitled to wider benefits, including free school meals.The latest estimates of the number of pupils who are entitled to receive free school meals but are not claiming them are available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/266339/DFE-RR319.pdf.

Home Education: Sheffield South East

Mr Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 15 June 2020 to Question 57089 on Home Education: Sheffield South East, how many laptops were requested by Sheffield City Council for children with social workers; and how many of those laptops have been delivered.

Nick Gibb: The Government has committed over £100 million to support vulnerable and disadvantaged children in England to access remote education and social care services, including by providing laptops, tablets and 4G wireless routers. We are providing laptops and tablets to disadvantaged children who would otherwise not have access and are preparing for examinations in year 10, receiving support from a social worker or are a care leaver. Where care leavers, children with a social worker at secondary school and children in year 10 do not have internet connections, we are providing 4G wireless routers. The Department has ordered over 200,000 laptops and tablets and allocated devices to local authorities and academy trusts based on its estimates of the number of eligible children that do not have access to a device. Local authorities and academy trusts are best place to identify and prioritise children and young people who need devices. The Department is working to provide these devices in the shortest possible timeframe; deliveries to schools and local authorities began in May and will continue throughout June. As of 14 June, we have shipped over 100,000 laptops and 20,000 4G routers, including 1,777 to Sheffield City Council for children with a social worker and care leavers. The Department has published information about how many laptops, tablets and 4G wireless routers we have delivered or dispatched to local authorities and academy trusts as of 14 June, which can be viewed here:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/laptops-tablets-and-4g-wireless-routers-progress-data.

Children: Coronavirus

Sir John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to ensure that white working class children do not fall further behind in educational outcomes as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.

Vicky Ford: As plans continue for a full return to education from September, we have announced a £1 billion COVID-19 ‘catch-up’ package to directly tackle the impact of lost teaching time.£650 million will be shared across state primary and secondary schools over the 2020-21 academic year. This one-off grant to support pupils recognises that all young people have lost time in education as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, regardless of their income or background.This package will make sure that every pupil, no matter their age or where they live, gets the education, opportunities and outcomes they deserve. Whilst school leaders will decide how it is used, the intention is that this money will be spent on the most effective interventions.On 19 June, the Education Endowment Foundation published a guide to help school leaders and staff decide how to use this universal funding to best support their pupils, which is available here: https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/public/files/Publications/Covid-19_Resources/Covid-19_support_guide_for_schools.pdf.In addition, a National Tutoring Programme, worth £350 million, will increase access to high-quality tuition for the most disadvantaged young people. This will help accelerate their academic progress and prevent the gap between them and their more affluent peers widening.This £1 billion package is on top of the £14.4 billion three-year funding settlement announced last year, recognising the additional work schools will need to do to help students to catch up.

Social Workers: Coronavirus

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children’s’ social workers have been (a) shielding and (b) in self isolation in each month since the start of the covid-19 outbreak.

Vicky Ford: The information requested is not held centrally.

Children in Care

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what are the current legal monitoring requirements for children placed on short break placements.

Vicky Ford: Local authorities are required to monitor short break placements as set out in Regulation 48 of the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010. The Adoption and Children (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 amended Regulation 48 to provide temporary flexibility, allowing visits to take place at regular intervals during a short break, as agreed with the child’s parents (or anyone else with parental responsibility for the child) and their Independent Reviewing Officer. The 2020 Regulations also specify that these visits can be conducted by telephone, video-link or other electronic means.Timings for reviews of the child’s case have also been temporarily amended by the 2020 Regulations. The responsible authority must first review the child’s case as soon as is reasonably practicable from the start of the first placement, and subsequent reviews must be carried out at regular intervals during any short break.These flexibilities should only be used when necessary on a case by case basis and only when consistent with the child’s safety and wellbeing.

Children: Coronavirus

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to debate on 10 June, Official Report, col 353,  when will she  update the House on the changes made by Adoption and Children (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (S.I., 2020, No. 445).

Vicky Ford: I will report to Parliament before summer recess on the outcome of the work the department has done to monitor the use of the amended regulations.

Schools: Sports

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has for the funding of school sport in the academic year 2020-21.

Nick Gibb: The Government’s School Sport and Activity Action Plan set out a range of measures to ensure that all children have access to high quality PE and sport sessions during the school week and opportunities to be physically active throughout the school day, to help them do the 60 minutes a day of physical exercise recommended by the Chief Medical Officer. The Government has provided £2.4 million in funding to support this activity in 2019-20 and has worked with Active Partnerships, teaching schools and sport providers to support children to take part in activities that encourage good physical health. Physical activity is important for children’s physical and mental wellbeing and will be especially important for children who have had restricted opportunity to exercise while at home due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The Department has published online educational resources approved by subject experts for schools and parents to help children to learn at home, including for PE:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-online-education-resources/online-science-pe-wellbeing-and-send-resources-for-home-education.The Department is working to ensure that schools are fully supported as they re-open and are able to give pupils opportunities to be physically active during the school day. The Department will confirm arrangements for the primary school PE and Sport Premium in the 2020-21 academic year as soon as possible.

Schools: Bullying

Layla Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the KiVa anti-bullying programme on tackling (a) bullying and (b) racist bullying.

Vicky Ford: We have not made an assessment of the KiVa anti-bullying programme. All schools are legally required to have a behaviour policy with measures to prevent all forms of bullying. They also have the freedom to develop their own anti-bullying strategies and monitoring approaches to best suit their environment.Our Preventing and Tackling Bullying guidance sets out that schools should develop a consistent approach to monitoring bullying incidents and evaluating the effectiveness of their approaches. It also directs schools to organisations who can provide support with tackling bullying related to race, religion and nationality. The guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preventing-and-tackling-bullying.On 7 June, we announced more than £750,000 for the Diana Award, the Anti-Bullying Alliance and the Anne Frank Trust – to help hundreds of schools and colleges build relationships between pupils, boost their resilience, and continue to tackle bullying both in person and online. More information is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/extra-mental-health-support-for-pupils-and-teachers.The department has also made resources available through the Educate Against Hate website. This website provides teachers, school leaders and parents with the information, guidance and support they need to challenge radical views, including racist and discriminatory beliefs, and is available here: https://educateagainsthate.com/.

Free School Meals: Voucher Schemes

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of extending the free school meals voucher scheme to children aged between two and four during the covid-19 outbreak.

Vicky Ford: Nurseries in maintained primary schools and maintained nursery schools are able to access the national voucher scheme where they have registered pupils who meet the benefits-related criteria, and who would usually receive education both before and after lunch. Private settings are not covered. Eligible children should receive vouchers at the same rate as school pupils. Newly eligible children will also be supported if they meet the above criteria and maintained nurseries and nursery schools should continue to accept free school meal applications.

Schools: Coronavirus

Layla Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will meet with (a) teachers, (b) headteachers, (c) relevant experts, (d) unions and (e) opposition politicians in the coming days to achieve a consensus on a national plan for the reopening of schools.

Nick Gibb: The Department will continue to work with a wide range of sector representatives to develop a plan for all children to return to schools in September. This engagement includes meetings with teachers and headteachers through the Department for Education’s reference groups; meetings with expert advisors from the sector; meetings with scientific experts; meetings with teaching and support staff unions; and engaging with politicians from across the political spectrum.

Schools: Finance

Layla Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the additional £650 million of funding for school catch-up plans, announced on 19 June 2020, is derived from funding reallocated within his Department or additional funding allocated to his Department.

Nick Gibb: Children and young people have experienced unprecedented disruption to their education during lockdown. The Government has therefore announced a package of support for schools to help children and young people make up for lost teaching time, with extra support in the form of a tutoring programme for those who need it most.The universal catch up premium will provide £650 million to help schools make up for lost teaching time. We are currently working with HM Treasury to finalise funding arrangements for the £1 billion catch-up package.

Schools: Finance

Layla Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the press release entitled Billion pound Covid catch-up plan to tackle impact of lost teaching time, published on gov.uk on 19 June 2020, what steps he is taking to help ensure that head teachers have the autonomy to make decisions on how the £650 million for primary and secondary schools is spent.

Nick Gibb: Schools are receiving a £650 million catch up premium to make up for the education that has been lost due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The Education Endowment Foundation has published a COVID-19 recovery guide to support school leaders and staff. It provides guidance and information on the most effective strategies to catch up on lost education, and will allow schools to decide on how to best use this funding to support their pupils and their outcomes. The guidance can be found here: https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/covid-19-resources/covid-19-support-guide-for-schools/.We know that each school will have different needs as a result of this outbreak and we trust headteachers to make the appropriate decisions for their students to ensure that this money is spent wisely.

Erasmus+ Programme: Northern Ireland

Colum Eastwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking with the Minister for the Cabinet Office on ensuring that Northern Ireland can continue to participate in the Erasmus+ programme after the end of the transition period.

Michelle Donelan: The UK will continue to participate fully in the current (2014-2020) Erasmus+ programme under the Withdrawal Agreement negotiated with the European Union (EU). This means that the projects successfully bid for during the current programmes will continue to receive EU funding for the full duration of the project. This includes projects where funding runs beyond 2020 and the end of the transition period.With regards to the next Erasmus+ programme (2021-27), the government remains open to considering participation in elements of the next Erasmus+ programme, provided that the terms are in the UK’s interests. Future participation is subject to our ongoing negotiations with the EU.Ministers regularly meet to discuss the ongoing negotiations, including the UK’s consideration of programmes participation. While international relations remain a reserved matter, the UK government is committed to working closely with the devolved administrations throughout negotiations with the EU to ensure a future relationship that works in the interests of the whole of the UK.In parallel, the government is continuing to develop a domestic alternative to Erasmus+, to ensure we are prepared for every eventuality. We are working closely with other government departments and the devolved administrations as we work towards a UK-wide domestic alternative scheme.

Education: Internet

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he has taken to help ensure (a) the safety of and (b) presence of a teacher at all on-line classes.

Nick Gibb: The Department has published safeguarding guidance, both for schools and for parents and carers, which specifically addresses online remote education. This guidance is available at:https://www.gov.uk/guidance/safeguarding-and-remote-education-during-coronavirus-covid-19 and: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-keeping-children-safe-online/coronavirus-covid-19-support-for-parents-and-carers-to-keep-children-safe-online.It states that in their regular communications with parents and carers, schools should emphasise the importance of securing any online support for their children from a reputable organisation that can provide evidence that they are safe and can be trusted to have access to children.Separate Departmental case studies guidance stresses the importance of ensuring regular teacher contact with pupils. Not all pupils’ home environments will support synchronous or live online remote education, meaning it will not always be possible for a teacher to be present at all online classes. There are, however, a range of other effective means of ensuring ongoing support and feedback between teacher and pupil. The Department’s guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/remote-education-practice-for-schools-during-coronavirus-covid-19.

Home Education: Walthamstow

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many (a) laptops and (b) tablets have been distributed to children in Walthamstow through the Government's scheme to ensure disadvantaged children and young people can remote education during the covid-9 outbreak.

Nick Gibb: The Government has committed over £100 million to support vulnerable and disadvantaged children in England to access remote education and social care services, including by providing laptops, tablets and 4G wireless routers.We are providing laptops and tablets to disadvantaged children who would otherwise not have access and are preparing for examinations in Year 10, receiving support from a social worker or are a care leaver. Where care leavers, children with a social worker at secondary school and children in Year 10 do not have internet connections, we are providing 4G wireless routers.The Department has ordered over 200,000 laptops and tablets and allocated devices to local authorities and academy trusts based on its estimates of the number of eligible children that do not have access to a device. Local authorities and academy trusts are best place to identify and prioritise children and young people who need devices. The Department is working to provide these devices in the shortest possible timeframe; deliveries to schools and local authorities began in May and have continued throughout June.The Department has published information about how many laptops, tablets and 4G wireless routers we have delivered or dispatched to local authorities and academy trusts as of 14 June, which can be viewed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/laptops-tablets-and-4g-wireless-routers-progress-data.This includes 785 devices to Waltham Forest for children with a social worker and care leavers.

Sixth Form Education: Coronavirus

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to support sixth form education in (a) England and (b) Greater Manchester during the covid-19 outbreak.

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment his Department has made of the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on sixth form students in (a) England and (b) Greater Manchester.

Nick Gibb: The Government wants to get all children and young people back into education as soon as the scientific advice allows because it is the best place for them to learn. We know how important it is for their mental wellbeing to have social interactions with their peers, carers and teachers.From the week commencing 15 June, the Department has asked schools with sixth forms and further education providers, which includes sixth form colleges, to offer some face-to-face support to pupils in Year 12 and to 16-19 students in the first year of a two-year study programme. Remote education should, however, remain the predominant mode of education for these students at this time. This applies schools in all parts of England.Whilst we are unable to welcome back more sixth form students at this time, we have recently announced that other students under 19 years old can be offered a face-to-face meeting before the end of the summer term, where it would be beneficial. As long as this happens in line with wider protective measures guidance, and guidance on the numbers of pupils permitted on-site at any one time, we would encourage this where possible.Our priority is to ensure that sixth form students can progress as planned, including starting university, moving into apprenticeships or securing a job.We have published a planning guide for secondary schools (including those with sixth forms) to help school leaders to prepare and decide arrangements, which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preparing-for-the-wider-opening-of-schools-from-1-june/planning-guide-for-secondary-schools.We have also published guidance for further education providers, which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-further-education-provision/maintaining-education-and-skills-training-provision-further-education-providers.The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) continues to be in regular dialogue with all sixth form colleges in Greater Manchester to establish their plans to continue to support sixth form learners.

Schools: Coronavirus

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to ensure the adequacy of staffing levels at schools while the covid-19 restrictions are in place.

Nick Gibb: We are monitoring staffing levels in schools through our daily schools census, and have published guidance to support schools to maintain adequate staffing levels and deploy staff whilst COVID-19 restrictions are in place. This guidance is available here:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-school-closures/guidance-for-schools-about-temporarily-closing#staffing-levels-and-deployment.National data on staffing levels in educational establishments since 23 March is published weekly and at the time of responding, it covers data up to 18 June. The latest data is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/attendance-in-education-and-early-years-settings-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak/2020-week-25.The data is collected from individual education establishments and the published figures include estimates for non-response.​

Teachers: Coronavirus

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will make an estimate of the number of former teachers that will return to the profession to help tackle problems with capacity as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.

Nick Gibb: Former teachers returning to teaching make a significant contribution to teacher supply - in 2018 there were approximately 16,400 full-time equivalent former teachers who returned to the profession in state funded schools after a break. Furthermore, since 2011 there has been an 11% increase in the number of former teachers returning to the profession. This data is publicly available in the ‘School workforce in England: November 2018’ publication, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/school-workforce-in-england-november-2018. In light of COVID-19, our efforts to encourage former teachers back to the profession are prioritising initiatives that can be implemented quickly to capitalise on any potential increased interest in the profession from former teachers. We are using our current programme for former teachers, such as the Return to Teaching Adviser Service (RTTA), to support these efforts. The RTTA service provides one-to-one support to former teachers interested in returning to teach maths, physics and modern foreign languages. The RTTA service assists these former teachers with their applications, helps them prepare for interviews, and signposts them to the further support such as the provision of Teacher Subject Specialism Training. We are exploring what more can be done to encourage former teachers back to the profession in the current climate.

Schools: Coronavirus

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance his Department has issued to schools that do not have the physical space to deliver full-school education safely by September 2020.

Nick Gibb: We want to get all children and young people back into education as soon as the scientific advice allows because it is the best place for them to learn, and because we know how important it is for their wellbeing to have social interactions with their teachers and friends. Our intention is for all children to return to school from September. ​Within the next two weeks, we will publish further information and guidance to help schools prepare for September. We will be guided by the latest scientific advice and are working with the sector to ensure our guidance provides schools with the further details they need, including any protective measures that may be necessary to keep children and teachers as safe as possible, alongside school buildings and estates considerations.

Education: Ethnic Groups

Layla Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what (a) estimate he has made of the proportion and (b) assessment he has made of the adequacy of BAME representation among (a) pastoral and (b) disciplinary staff in the education system.

Nick Gibb: The Department for Education does not collect data on pastoral and disciplinary staff within the School Workforce Census. The School Workforce Census captures data for non-teaching staff, auxiliary staff, teaching assistants and support staff, as well as for classroom teachers and leadership roles.BAME teachers represented 9% of the teaching population in state funded schools in November 2018. 9% of classroom teachers, 6% of deputy and assistant headteachers and 4% of headteachers came from BAME backgrounds 11% of non-teaching staff were from a BAME background in November 2018. This was 12% for auxiliary staff and 11% for both teaching assistants and other support staff.This data is available in Tables 5 and 6 of the publication, School Workforce in England, 2018, available here:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/school-workforce-in-england-november-2018Information for 2019 data was published on the 25 June 2020.

Ministry of Justice

Prison Accommodation: Technology

Ms Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if an evaluation of the pilots of in-cell technology in (a) HMP Wayland and (b) HMP Berwyn has been completed.

Lucy Frazer: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 07 May 2020.The correct answer should have been:

The University of Leicester completedpublished their Evaluation of Digital Technology in Prisons, (Palmer, Hatcher and Tonkin) in 2019, which covered the pilots in HMP Wayland but did not includeand HMP Berwyn. The intention is to publish this shortly. The pilots saw the introduction of laptops to both prisons which give access to prison-related notices, communication and rules, mental health advice and education materials. Prisoners also have some access to self-service tools, which helps to reduce the administrative burden on prison staff. This platform is monitored daily for usage and through digital feedback from prisoners and staff. The evaluation indicatedfound that staff and prisoners viewed the presence of digital technology as an incentive for good behaviour and the implementation of the technology, particularly the in-cell telephones, was seen to havehad reduced the potential for tension on the wings, and perceived levels of conflict.

Lucy Frazer: The University of Leicester completedpublished their Evaluation of Digital Technology in Prisons, (Palmer, Hatcher and Tonkin) in 2019, which covered the pilots in HMP Wayland but did not includeand HMP Berwyn. The intention is to publish this shortly. The pilots saw the introduction of laptops to both prisons which give access to prison-related notices, communication and rules, mental health advice and education materials. Prisoners also have some access to self-service tools, which helps to reduce the administrative burden on prison staff. This platform is monitored daily for usage and through digital feedback from prisoners and staff. The evaluation indicatedfound that staff and prisoners viewed the presence of digital technology as an incentive for good behaviour and the implementation of the technology, particularly the in-cell telephones, was seen to havehad reduced the potential for tension on the wings, and perceived levels of conflict.

Wayland Prison: Technology

Ms Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 7 May to Question 41404 on Prison Accommodation: Technology, when his Department plans to publish the report on the digital technology pilot at HMP Wayland, undertaken by research team led by Dr Emma Palmer.

Lucy Frazer: The report titled: ‘Evaluation of digital technology in prisons’, is going through final assurance processes and we expect to publish in the coming weeks.

Ministry of Justice: Renewable Energy

Sir Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many (a) solar panels and (b) wind turbines have been installed on each of the buildings on his Department's estate in each of the last five years.

Chris Philp: The Ministry of Justice is committed to reducing its carbon emissions on a trajectory to Net Zero by 2050 or sooner; and has already reduced its total emissions by 44% by 2019-20 compared to 2009-10.Renewable energy generation will be a key part of the Ministry’s Net Zero Carbon Strategy. We have purchased 977 solar panels in 2019 and 1307 in 2020 for installation in 2020-21; and have firm plans to generate even more renewable energy over the next two years. Surveys at 100 prisons will be completed this financial year to identify the best opportunities for future installation of renewable technologies.In addition, the Ministry of Justice installed solar panels at three sites in 2015, 2016 and 2019; and a wind turbine at one site in 2018. Solar panels or wind turbines are installed at a further 12 sites on the Department’s estate, but these were fitted prior to the period in question.

Prisoners' Release

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the adequate provision of (a) accommodation and (b) support for prisoners on release.

Lucy Frazer: Everyone leaving prison should have somewhere safe and secure to live; accommodation enables offenders to hold down a job and reduces the likelihood of them reoffending.We have invested an additional £22m per annum over the remaining life of the Community Rehabilitation Company (CRC) contracts to deliver an enhanced Through the Gate resettlement service to people leaving prison to prepare them for release. The enhanced service includes the requirement that CRCs complete specific, tailored, tasks to help prisoners to secure and maintain settled accommodation, gain employment and manage debt and their financial affairs. During the Covid period most of this support is being provided remotely. After a prison sentence, service users are supervised and supported by Probation Officers in the Community.As part of its Covid-19 pandemic response, Her Majesty Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) have set up seven Homelessness Prevention Taskforces (HPTs) to coordinate the sourcing of accommodation for those offenders released early, in order to ensure no offender is released early without accommodation in place. It has also put in place an ‘Exceptional Delivery Model’ for CRC services during the current Covid-19 crisis to ensure that the support an individual requires to address their criminogenic needs will still be provided during this period.Additionally, Government has now decided that because of public health concerns and public protection considerations, there is a need to provide accommodation for a larger cohort of prison leavers. The Ministry of Justice has secured up to £8.5 million to support individuals at risk of homelessness on their release from prison for up to eight weeks and help to move on into permanent accommodation. This scheme was originally due to run until 26th June; however, we have recently undertaken our first review and, following this, have extended the scheme until 31 July.

Reoffenders: Coronavirus

Ms Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many offenders who have been recalled to prison since the practice of quarantining new entrants was introduced have spent the entire period of their recall in isolation.

Lucy Frazer: Prisons in England and Wales have closely followed guidance issued by Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) and public health authorities to protect prisoners and staff. Building on best available evidence to protect the most vulnerable and reduce transmission of infection, new cohorting strategies were developed by HMPPS (advised by public health authorities) and implemented from 31 March. This strategy includes quarantining new arrivals to prisons in reverse cohorting units (RCU).We do not hold the requested data centrally. However, new receptions into prison from court and recalls have only been accepted into prisons where there is adequate space for them to be held separately for 14 days. If the period of recall is 14 days or less a prisoner would be required to spend their entire period of recall in an RCU.

Legal Ombudsman

Zarah Sultana: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how his Department ensures that the office of the Legal Ombudsman does not discriminate against people suffering from mental health issues during the decision making process.

Alex Chalk: The Office for Legal Complaints (OLC) is an arm’s length body – which administers the Legal Ombudsman scheme (LeO) – and makes decisions in relation to cases considered under the scheme independently of, and without influence from, the Ministry of Justice.We are aware that LeO staff receive training on reasonable adjustments and have Dedicated Vulnerable Customers Champions to identify customers who may need additional assistance or reasonable adjustments to access its service. This includes adjustments for mental health reasons.The OLC also has a service complaints process, of which the last stage is escalation to the Service Complaint Adjudicator who is appointed by the Board and independent of the OLC.

Legal Profession: Disclosure of Information

Zarah Sultana: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the prevalence of use of non-disclosure agreements by legal professionals; and what steps his department is taking to help ensure that non-disclosure agreements are not misused.

Alex Chalk: The legal profession in England and Wales is independent of Government and legal professionals are regulated by a number of regulators including the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and the Bar Standards Board (BSB). Legal professionals must comply with a detailed Code of Conduct, which ensures that high standards of conduct are met.The SRA has issued guidance via a warning notice to all regulated individuals and entities on the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs). The SRA warning notice confirms that they consider NDAs to be improperly used if they prevent a person from reporting misconduct, making a protected disclosure, reporting an offence or cooperating with criminal activity. The SRA has also been taking enforcement action against solicitors over the misuse of NDAs.The Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy has published its response to views on consultation on confidentiality clauses. This proposes new legislation to further protect consumers in the provision of such legal services and deter rogue practice.

Judiciary: Training

Sir Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what training is provided to the judicary on supporting people in court with learning disabilities; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Philp: Responsibility for judicial training rests with the Lord Chief Justice and with the Senior President of Tribunals and is exercised through the Judicial College.To preserve judicial independence, the judiciary and professional staff in the Judicial College are responsible for the design, content, and delivery of judicial training.The Judicial College provides training on vulnerable litigants including those with learning disabilities for judges and magistrates sitting in criminal, family and youth courts. In addition, the Equal Treatment Bench Book contains specific guidance for the judiciary on how to identify and accommodate court users with learning disabilities.

Remand in Custody

Mr David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to prioritise cases in which a person on remand has a Custody Time Limit that (a) has expired and (b) is about to expire.

Chris Philp: HMCTS is working closely with the Judiciary and criminal justice agencies to ensure that cases that need to be prioritised can be. The introduction of emergency legislation enabling the courts to make greater use of audio and video technology for any preliminary hearings where appropriate, has ensured that priority cases, including custody cases, have been heard.The prioritisation of cases and trials is a judicial decision and the senior judiciary has issued the following guidance:https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Note-on-Listing-Magistrates-SPJ-DSPJ-14.04.20-FINAL.pdfhttps://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/27032020_Protocol-for-CTL-cases_FINAL-signed-1.pdf

Social Entitlement Chamber: Video Conferencing

Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when he plans to provide the option of hearings by video link for all appeal hearings in the Social Entitlement Chamber (First-tier Tribunal (Social Security and Child Support)).

Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many appeals in the Social Entitlement Chamber (First-tier Tribunal (Social Security and Child Support)) have been heard by video link during the Covid-19 outbreak.

Chris Philp: HM Courts & Tribunals Service is working hard to keep our justice system functioning during this unprecedented public health emergency. We are focusing on priority cases, changing working practices and introducing new procedures to minimise risks to the judiciary, staff and all those who use our courts and tribunals.In line with government guidance, face to face hearings in the First-tier Tribunal (Social Security and Child Support) (SSCS) have been replaced with telephone hearings and the use of other remote hearing technology to facilitate as many hearings as possible being held remotely. All parties to the hearings are being contacted directly to confirm new hearing arrangements. After a number of successful tests, arrangements are currently being made to introduce and make available Cloud Video Platform (CVP) hearings in all SSCS Tribunal regions. The decision as to how a hearing is conducted is a matter for the judge who will determine how best to uphold the interests of justice. In considering the suitability of video/audio, judges will consider issues such as the benefit type under appeal, the nature of the matters at stake during the hearing and any issues the use of video/audio technology may present for participants in the hearing.The latest period for which official statistics about SSCS appeals are available is up to March 2020. Up until that time no SSCS hearings had taken place by video link due to Covid-19.www.gov.uk/government/collections/tribunals-statistics

Legal Aid Scheme: Companies

Karl Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of amending the Standard Monthly Payments received by legal aid firms to support those firms during the covid-19 outbreak.

Karl Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on the number of housing legal aid providers.

Karl Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of allowing legal aid firms to bill more than twice in 12 months for money owed on cases.

Alex Chalk: Firms can elect to be paid by either Standard or Variable Monthly Payments, according to which model may be most advantageous to them. The MoJ continues to review the potential impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak on legal aid providers and to consider what more might be done to support them. The Legal Aid Agency has published the details of the current options for financial relief available to providers during the COVID-19 outbreak at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/financial-relief-for-legal-aid-practitioners.The number of active housing legal aid providers is published by the Legal Aid Agency online, and has remained largely static since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak. The outbreak has affected the volume of work available to housing legal aid firms, and we are closely monitoring this impact.At present housing advice is available at 434 offices in England and Wales. The volume of providers holding legal aid contracts at any given time is subject to change due to market forces and other factors. From March to the present date, 7 offices in total have ceased to provide housing services, due to reasons not specifically associated with the effects of COVID-19.The Ministry of Justice held a consultation on increasing the number of requests for payment on account that may be made per year. The consultation closed on 16 June 2020, and the limit will be increased from two to four permissible within a twelve-month period. This will be implemented once the necessary updates to infrastructure are completed, and the impact of this change will be kept under review.

Prisoners' Release: Homelessness

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 19 June 2020 to Question 58798 on Prisoners' Release: Homelessness, what estimate he has made of how much funding will be required to support the provision of accommodation for all individuals released from prison who are at risk of homelessness after 26 June 2020.

Lucy Frazer: The Ministry of Justice has secured up to £8.5 million to support individuals at risk of homelessness on their release from prison for up to eight weeks and help to move on into permanent accommodation. This scheme was originally due to run until 26th June. We have recently undertaken a first review and, following this, have extended the scheme until 31 July.This project will help ensure vulnerable ex-offenders at risk of homelessness will get the vital support they need to stay safe during the COVID-19 period and find suitable accommodation and continue their rehabilitation during the pandemic. This will help improve outcomes for ex-offenders and increase the chances of seeing fewer victims of crime in the future.

Prisoners' Release: Homelessness

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 19 June 2020 to Question 58798 on Prisoners' Release: Homelessness, how much funding his Department has received to support the provision of accommodation for all individuals released from prison who are at risk of homelessness.

Lucy Frazer: The Ministry of Justice has secured £8.5 million to support individuals at risk of homelessness on their release from prison for up to eight weeks and help to move on into permanent accommodation. This scheme was originally due to run until 26 June. We have recently undertaken a review and, following this, have extended the scheme until 31 July.This project will help ensure vulnerable ex-offenders at risk of homelessness will get the vital support they need to stay safe during the COVID-19 period and find suitable accommodation and continue their rehabilitation during the pandemic. This will help improve outcomes for ex-offenders and increase the chances of seeing fewer victims of crime in the future.

Prisoners' Release: Housing

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 19 June 2020 to Question 58798 on Prisoners' Release: Homelessness, whether his Department has a long-term plan to address the lack of accommodation for prison leavers; and if he will make a statement.

Lucy Frazer: It is vital that everyone leaving prison has somewhere stable and secure to live. This provides a platform for ex-offenders to be able to access the services and support needed to turn their backs on crime for good. In a series of measures, the Government has demonstrated its commitment to addressing that need.Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) and the National Probation Service (NPS) are required to facilitate access to housing for the offenders under their supervision. This includes working together with local partners to help offenders find and maintain accommodation as part of a package of support tailored to meet their individual needs.We have invested an extra £22 million per annum over the remaining life of the CRC contracts to ensure that CRCs deliver an enhanced “Through-the-Gate” service for offenders leaving prison. Alongside this investment we have introduced a new “Through-the-Gate” specification which will ensure that CRCs complete specific tasks, including helping every prisoner to secure and maintain settled accommodation.In addition, through the Government’s Rough Sleeping Strategy we are investing up to £6.4 million in a pilot scheme to support individuals released from three prisons: Bristol, Leeds and Pentonville. Services have been in operation within all three areas since last summer, with the first individuals now being supported into accommodation following release. When the pilot has been evaluated, we will analyse the lessons learned and this will inform future provision of accommodation for all ex-offenders.HMPPS are well underway to developing an Accommodation Framework that sets out their responsibilities, their partners responsibilities and a framework for how to build on success and work together with partners to ensure that offenders are able to access and maintain settled accommodation.In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, Government has decided that, because of public health and public protection considerations, there is a need to provide accommodation for a larger cohort of prison leavers. While this scheme is an immediate response to support prison leavers at risk of homelessness during this period, we are keen to utilise the learning gathered from it to help develop longer-term improvements. We will draw on that learning as we develop and roll out our wider reforms to probation services.

Department for International Trade

Trade Agreements

Sarah Olney: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps she is taking to ensure (a) ethical and (b) resilient supply chains are prioritised in (i) her Department's policies and (ii) future trade agreements.

Sarah Olney: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if she will take steps to ensure that the UK is a global champion of (a) ethical trade and (b) doing business with integrity.

Sarah Olney: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps she is taking to ensure that supply chains are free of slavery and human trafficking in new trade deals.

Mr Ranil Jayawardena: The United Kingdom is a trading nation and global value chains drive prosperity, through specialisation, innovation and cheaper products. We will continue to work with business to fully understand global supply chains that they are part of – and the opportunities to build in further resilience for the future. Our future trade agreement programme will reduce barriers to trading with new markets, and help provide more resilience in doing so. Alongside this, the United Kingdom will tirelessly fight protectionism and unfair trade practices, including through the G20 and in the World Trade Organisation (WTO). Britain’s values are clear. We are committed to working with international partners and businesses to tackle modern slavery in global supply chains, as HM Government believes it is vital that trade is not based on the exploitation nor abuse of workers.

Food: Imports

Alex Davies-Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment she has made of the need to introduce a trade, food and farming standards commission to ensure food imports continue to meet existing UK food standards after the transition period.

Mr Ranil Jayawardena: The approach of HM Government to food standards in trade deals is clear. We remain firmly committed to upholding our high environmental, food safety and animal welfare standards. Having left the EU, we will decide how we set and maintain our own laws, standards and regulations. We will remain global leaders in environmental protection and animal welfare standards, maintaining the high-quality of our produce for consumers at home and overseas.The United Kingdom’s food standards, for both domestic production and imports, are overseen by the Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland. These agencies provide independent advice to HM Government and the devolved administration in Scotland respectively. They will continue to do so in order to ensure that all food imports comply with the United Kingdom’s high standards.Decisions on our standards are a matter for the United Kingdom and will be made separately from any trade agreement. HM Government will stand firm in trade negotiations to make sure that any future trade deals live up to the values of farmers and consumers across the United Kingdom.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Housing Occupancy: Coronavirus

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on financial support for people living in multi-generational households who may be unable to return to work as covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased.

Christopher Pincher: Holding answer received on 15 June 2020



The Secretary of State regularly meets with the Chancellor to discuss the Government’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak. We have set out an unprecedented package of financial support to help the country through the coronavirus pandemic, and multi-generational households are able to access these, including the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), the Self Employed Income Support package and Statutory Sick Pay. This support continues to be provided, with the CJRS running until the end of October. The Government has also confirmed an additional £63 million for local authorities to help those who are struggling financially due to the impact of COVID-19. This will allow authorities to step in and provide discretionary financial help to those facing severe hardship due to covid-19 and help them to pay for food and other necessities.

Housing: Construction

Mary Glindon: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will make the accessible and adaptable standard M4(2) Category 2 the mandatory baseline for all new homes.

Christopher Pincher: Government will consult shortly on accessibility of new homes. The consultation will consider making higher accessibility standards mandatory, recognising the importance of suitable homes for older and disabled people.

Housing: Coronavirus

Thangam Debbonaire: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the need for free specialist housing rights advice as a result of the economic consequences of the covid-19 outbreak.

Luke Hall: We understand that COVID-19 will have had an impact on people and their housing. This is why we have published guidance for people to navigate through this difficult time. There are also existing routes for people to get support on housingLeaseholders may benefit from seeking free initial advice via the Leasehold Advisory Service (LEASE), the specialist advisory body funded by the Department to provide assistance to leaseholders. Information on leasehold matters can be provided through the website (https://www.lease-advice.org/), via a telephone appointment with one of LEASE’s advisers (020 7832 2500) or by email (info@lease-advice.org).Social and private renters can contact Citizens Advice or Shelter for free, impartial advice about their housing rights. Individuals who are eligible for legal aid may also contact Civil Legal Advice for free and confidential advice.

High Rise Flats: Insulation

Apsana Begum: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, which 20 buildings with ACM cladding systems in Tower Hamlets were identified as unlikely to meet Building Regulations yet to be remediated in the Government’s monthly Building Safety Update statistics, published on 11 June 2020.

Christopher Pincher: We are unable to publish any individual building data, including the names of the buildings in Tower Hamlets with ACM cladding systems unlikely to meet Building Regulations that are yet to be remediated. This reflects the position of the Government not to reveal the identity of high-rise residential buildings with unsafe ACM cladding systems on public safety grounds.

Evictions: Coronavirus

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will make it his policy to extend the ban on evictions for commercial tenants who miss rent payments during the covid-19 outbreak; and if he will make a statement.

Christopher Pincher: On 19 June, the Government announced the extension of the moratorium on commercial lease forfeitures, as well as extensions to other measures protecting tenants for a further three months. These measures will provide businesses with the certainty they need as they begin to reopen.The announcement confirms that in order to protect tenant businesses during this period government:Has extended until 30 September the moratorium on forfeitures of commercial lease.Will temporarily limit the use of statutory demands (made after 1 March 2020) and winding up petitions (presented from Monday 27 April) until 30 September.Has also extended limits on use of Commercial Rent Arrears Recovery to 30 September, and increased the threshold of rent owed before CRAR can be used to 189 days.Government also published a Code of Practice for the commercial property sector in collaboration with key representative bodies. The Code will reinforce and promote good practice amongst landlords and tenants as they deal with the issues caused by COVID-19.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Faculty

Sarah Olney: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what procurement process was undertaken before the award of contracts to Faculty Science Ltd; what work that company has been contracted to provide; and for how long that company will use the personal data it has been granted access to.

Luke Hall: The contract with Faculty was awarded following a robust selection process through the Crown Commercial Service’s G-Cloud Digital Marketplace in line with its published processes, further details of which can be found at: www.gov.uk/guidance/g-cloud-buyers-guide.The company has been awarded a call-off contract for the provision of data science services, more specifically helping the Department to analyse data in real time allowing it to monitor the impact of COVID-19 on local communities and respond to emerging issues at pace. In line with the legal obligations under the Framework Agreement, Faculty must stop using any data they have been granted access to as part of this contract when the contract expires.

Homelessness: Coronavirus

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to allocate additional funding to local housing authorities to help those authorities procure accommodation for (a) rough sleepers and (b) homeless people and families as part of the Government's response to the covid-19 outbreak.

Luke Hall: On 24 May we announced radical plans to provide thousands of long-term, safe homes for vulnerable rough sleepers taken off the streets during this pandemic. This commitment will be backed by £160 million this year through accelerating plans for the £381 million announced for rough sleeping services at Budget, bringing the total to £433 million over the lifetime of this parliament. The Government is increasing the revenue support of the total programme by 37 per cent to make sure that the rough sleepers have the support they need to stay off the streets for good. This funding will support up to 6,000 rough sleepers into longer term accommodation, with 3,300 units of this accommodation becoming available in the next 12 months. Homes England, in partnership with MHCLG, have pledged to work hand-in-hand with leading housing associations and local authorities to deliver this.On 24 June an additional £105 million was announced for local authorities to enable them to best support the c15,000 people placed into emergency accommodation during the COVID-19 pandemic. This funding is on top of the £433 million announced on the 24 May. Together, these funding streams will enable us to deliver a comprehensive Next Steps and Recover Strategy which will support thousands of individuals to stay safe during the pandemic and ultimately to turn their lives around. Further detailed information on the process to allocate funding is being co-produced with partners and will be published in due course.Both before and during the pandemic the Government has also put in place significant funding to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping over 2020/21, including:£112 million was allocated this year for the Rough Sleeping Initiative (RSI), an increase of £26 million on 2019/20 funding. We will work with areas to consider how the RSI work will change to reflect the different levels of need and response needed as a result of COVID-19.£3.2 billion has been provided to support councils to respond to the coronavirus pandemic, which includes providing support for vulnerable rough sleepers.This is in addition to £3.2 million in targeted funding for councils to support vulnerable rough sleepers.For those who require additional support, Discretionary Housing Payments are available. There is already £180 million in Discretionary Housing Payments available for local authorities to distribute for supporting renters with housing costs in 2020/21 including an additional £40 million to tackle affordability pressures in the private rented sector. We have increased the Local Housing Allowance rates for Universal Credit and Housing Benefit claimants so that they are set at the 30th percentile of market rents. This is an important policy that will benefit 1.6 million people.

Housing: Construction

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate his Department has made of the (a) potential number and (b) redundancies to date in the residential construction sector due to the reduction in housebuilding during the covid-19 outbreak.

Christopher Pincher: The ONS publishes survey data on a fortnightly basis on the proportion of the construction workforce that has been furloughed, off sick owing to coronavirus, or made redundant. Data for the housing construction subsector is not available.https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/economicoutputandproductivity/output/datasets/businessimpactofcovid19surveybicsresultsThe Government has put in place a number of measures to support the construction industry during the response to COVID-19. Many construction firms have made use of the Job Retention Scheme for their employees and apprentices, alongside Government-backed loans and tax holidays.It remains as important as ever to invest in the skilled workforce to build the homes this country needs. My department is working with the Department for Business, Energy and the Industrial Strategy, the Department for Education, and the Construction Industry Training Board to support the industry to continue to recruit and train during this time.

Social Rented Housing: Construction

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential contribution of the construction of social housing to the economic recovery of the UK after the covid-19 outbreak.

Christopher Pincher: The delivery of new social housing will contribute to economic recovery, in particular by supporting construction activity. The Government is committed to increasing the supply of social housing in view of the social and economic benefits this will generate. We have made £9 billion available through the Affordable Homes Programme to March 2022 to deliver approximately 250,000 new affordable homes in a wide range of tenures, including Social Rent, Shared Ownership and Rent to Buy. We announced at Budget that we will invest £12 billion to build affordable homes between 2021/22 and 2025/26 – the biggest cash investment in affordable housing for a decade.

Affordable Housing: Construction

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans he has for the funding of the Affordable Homes Programme.

Christopher Pincher: The Government is committed to increasing the supply of social housing and has made £9 billion available through the Affordable Homes Programme to March 2022 to deliver approximately 250,000 new affordable homes in a wide range of tenures, including Social Rent, Shared Ownership and Rent to Buy.Building on this, we announced at Budget 2020 that we are investing £12 billion to build affordable homes between 2021/22 and 2025/26. This will be the biggest cash investment in affordable housing for a decade.This new 5-year investment will deliver additional affordable housing, help people to own their own home, and build social rent homes to help families and those most at risk of homelessness in areas of the country where affordability pressure is acute. A mix of different tenures is vital to meet the needs of a wide range of people, and to allow the sector to build the right homes in the right places.

Immigrants: Finance

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 16 June 2020 to Question 903194 on Immigrants: Finance, what funding streams local authorities are permitted to use to offer financial support to people with no recourse to public funds; and if he will make a statement.

Luke Hall: No recourse to public funds (NRPF) is a condition imposed on someone due to their immigration status. Section 115 Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 states that a person will have ‘no recourse to public funds’ if they are ‘subject to immigration control’ A person with NRPF is prohibited from accessing specified benefits and public housing. These are set out in section 115 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. More information is available online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-funds--2/public-funds.

Funerals: Coronavirus

Zarah Sultana: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to support local authorities to provide live-streaming of funerary services during the covid-19 outbreak.

Mr Simon Clarke: It is only right that families have a final opportunity to pay their last respects to those they love at this incredibly difficult time. On 17 April I sent a letter to local authorities outlining how they can develop safe and sensitive ways for funerals to take place, including live streaming and deferred memorial services. On 18 April, £1.6 billion of funding was also made available to support local authorities with the costs of responding to COVID-19, including costs associated with death management. This funding will support councils to continue to deliver innovative solutions which make funerals accessible to the bereaved, where they cannot physically attend.

Ministry of Defence

Afghanistan: War Crimes

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on what date was Operation Northmoor concluded by his Department.

Mr Ben Wallace: The Ministry of Defence has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Afghanistan: War Crimes

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on what date he announced that Operation Northmoor had been concluded; and how that official announcement made.

Mr Ben Wallace: The Ministry of Defence has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Afghanistan: War Crimes

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish the conclusions of Operation Northmoor.

Mr Ben Wallace: The Ministry of Defence has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Afghanistan: War Crimes

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what communication Ministers in his Department have had with personnel under investigation as part of Operation Northmoor in relation to the conclusion of that investigation.

Mr Ben Wallace: The Ministry of Defence has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Department for Work and Pensions

Universal Credit: Coronavirus

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will publish her Department's assessment of the effect of the £20 a week uplift to universal credit during the covid-19 outbreak.

Will Quince: Holding answer received on 15 May 2020



The Department has insufficient data at this time to estimate the effect of increasing the four standard allowances in Universal Credit by £20 a week in 2020/21.

Department for Work and Pensions: Correspondence

Marion Fellows: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average length of time was for Ministers of her Department to respond to correspondence from hon. Members in each month in the last two years.

Mims Davies: In line with Cabinet Office guidance, the Department has a target of responding within 20 working days where a response is required. As you will understand, the Department is currently dealing with unprecedented volumes of correspondence due to COVID-19. The Department ensures that urgent cases raised by hon. Members are prioritised, and is taking steps to provide substantive responses in as short a time as possible. All correspondence received from hon. Members is being reviewed and will be responded to as soon as possible.

Personal Independence Payment

Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of total claimants in receipt of personal independence payment died between (a) March and May 2020, and (b) March and May 2019.

Justin Tomlinson: Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is claimed by people with a range of health conditions and disabilities, many of which are degenerative or life limiting and the Department treats the death of any claimant sympathetically. The cause of death of claimants to PIP is not collated centrally by the Department. Table 1 below shows for each month from March 2019 – May 2019 and March 2020 – April 2020: (a) The number of PIP claimants with entitlement to PIP who died having had entitlement on the last day of each month.(b) The total number of PIP claims with entitlement on the last day each month.(c) The percentage of claimants entitled to PIP who died in each month which is calculated by dividing (a) the number of claimant deaths in each month by (b) the total number of PIP claims with entitlement in the same month. Note that April 2020 is the latest month for which data is available. Table 1: Summary of PIP claimants with entitlement who died from March 2019 – May 2019 and March 2020 – April 2020 MonthMar-19Apr-19May-19Mar-20Apr-20(a) Number of PIP Claimant Deaths4,6504,5804,4605,8806,180(b) Total PIP Claims with entitlement2,098,0902,113,1702,134,4002,455,3002,485,600(c) Death rate of PIP claimants with entitlement0.22%0.22%0.21%0.24%0.25% Source: PIP ADS and Customer Information System and Stat-Xplore Notes:This is unpublished data. It should be used with caution and it may be subject to future revision.PIP data includes normal rules and special rules for the terminally ill claimants, and is for both new claims and DLA reassessment claims.Data for the number of claimant deaths has been sourced from the PIP ADS and the Customer Information System and data for the number of total PIP claims with entitlement has been sourced from Stat-Xplore.Number of claimants has been rounded to the nearest 10 and the data for the death rate of claimants has been rounded to the nearest 0.01%.Claimants’ dates of death are as recorded on the system at 12th June 2020 and may be subject to retrospection.GB only  Under the Social Security (Notification of Deaths) Regulations 2012 and s125 of Social Security Administration Act 1992 date of death is provided to the Department for all registered deaths. Additionally, next of kin also provide information on the date of death of an individual and this information is used appropriately in the administration of Departmental benefits.

Employment Support Allowance

Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of claimants in receipt of employment support allowance died between (a) March and May 2020 and (b) March and May 2019.

Justin Tomlinson: This information is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Income Support

Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of claimants in receipt of income support died between (a) March and May 2020 and (b) March and May 2019.

Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of claimants in receipt of jobseeker's allowance died between (a) March and May 2020 and (b) March and May 2019.

Mims Davies: This information is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Universal Credit

Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of claimants in receipt of universal credit died between (a) March to May 2020, and (b) March to May 2019.

Will Quince: The Department for Work and Pensions has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Universal Credit

Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of claimants in receipt of the limited capability for work component of universal credit died (a) from March to May 2020 and (b) from March to May 2019.

Justin Tomlinson: This information is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Social Security Benefits: Medical Assessments

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when her Department plans to review the suspension of face-to-face (a) work capability and (b) personal independence payment assessments during the covid-19 outbreak.

Justin Tomlinson: Our priority throughout this health emergency continues to be to protect the public and staff, while ensuring people get the benefits they are entitled to quickly and safely. Face to face assessments remain suspended while we review what activity we can gradually start reintroducing in line with the latest public health advice. We will confirm next steps as soon as possible.

Work Capability Assessments

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many work capability assessments have been completed in each month since 1 February 2020.

Justin Tomlinson: Statistics on Employment and Support Allowance Work Capability Assessment (WCA) outcomes are published quarterly. The latest figures covering the number and outcome of completed initial and repeat WCAs, by month of completed assessment up to December 2019, can be found at:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/employment-and-support-allowance-outcomes-of-work-capability-assessment Additional breakdowns of the ESA WCA figures can be found at:https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/ Guidance for users is available at:https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html The statistics for completed assessments to March 2020 and June 2020 will be published in September and December 2020 respectively. Statistics on Work Capability Assessments for Universal Credit claimants are intended for publication in the near future as Official Statistics.

Universal Credit: Fraud

Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, at what stage his Department's investigations into cases of universal credit scams for claimants in Halton constituency are; and when those claimants will have their benefits restored.

Will Quince: The Department does not hold this data by constituency and to provide it would incur disproportionate costs.

Child Maintenance Service

Jess Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking with the Child Maintenance Service to ensure that victims of domestic abuse are protected from financial control.

Mims Davies: The Department for Work and Pensions has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Social Security Benefits: Disqualification

Kirsten Oswald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will extend the temporary suspension of sanctioning in the welfare system beyond 30 June 2020.

Mims Davies: We made the decision to temporarily suspend the requirement for face-to-face Jobcentre Plus appointments for all claimants in Universal Credit, New Style Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) and Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), old-style JSA and ESA, and Income Support. Arrangements after the 30th June will be communicated in due course.

Social Security Benefits: Disqualification

Kirsten Oswald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans she has to extend suspension of benefits deductions for the recovery of (a) Universal Credit and legacy benefit overpayments, (b) Social Fund loans and (c) Tax Credit debts beyond 2 July 2020.

Will Quince: The Department for Work and Pensions has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Social Security Benefits: Coronavirus

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what financial support is available for people who do not qualify for sick pay and who are required to self-isolate.

Will Quince: The Department for Work and Pensions has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Social Security Benefits: Coronavirus

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what financial support is available for people who do not qualify for sick pay or universal credit and who are required to self-isolate.

Will Quince: The Department for Work and Pensions has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Social Security Benefits: Scotland

Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants of (a) universal credit and (b) legacy benefits in Scotland had awards that were reduced by the tariff income rules (i) before and (ii) after the covid-19 pandemic was declared.

Will Quince: The information requested could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Thriving At Work Leadership Council

Andy McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans she has made to include trades union representation on the Thriving at Work Leadership Council.

Justin Tomlinson: The Leadership Council was originally formed to provide an opportunity for senior business leaders to drive implementation of the core standards from the Stevenson / Farmer review. It is an independently-chaired body. As membership is reviewed and evolves there may be scope to consider additional representatives.

Pensions: Income

Ms Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department taking to tackle the gap in pension income for (a) people who are BAME, (b) women and (c) low paid earners.

Ms Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department made of the potential merits of lowering the annual earnings necessary for auto-enrolment to the National Insurance lower earnings limit of £6240.

Ms Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to increase the proportion of BAME workers who are part of the workplace pensions system.

Guy Opperman: The level of earnings at which workers are automatically enrolled (the earnings trigger) is subject to an annual statutory review. The review includes analysis of the equalities impact and an assessment of reducing the trigger to the National Insurance threshold. Since 2014/15, the annual reviews have concluded that the earnings trigger be frozen at £10,000. People earning below the trigger have a right to opt in, and if they are earning above the lower earnings limit (£6,240 in 2020-21) they will receive an employer contribution. Automatic enrolment has hugely increased women’s pension participation, participation across all ethnic groups, and among lower earners. Among eligible women in the private sector, participation has increased from 40% in 2012 to 86% in 2019, equal to men. Among eligible employees in the private sector earning between £10,000 and £20,000, 19% were participating into a workplace pension in 2012. As of 2019, this rate had increased to 79%, a 60 percentage point increase.

Pensions: Coronavirus

Ms Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on the future retirement income of (a) women, (b) BAME workers, (c) self employed workers and (d) gig economy workers.

Guy Opperman: Helping people to save for their futures remains a key priority for this Government. We have put in place an unprecedented package of support to strengthen job and income security during the emergency to help workers, including those disproportionately affected, to better manage costs during the crisis, while supporting longer term financial resilience. We are monitoring the impacts of covid-19 on workplace pension participation and saving levels and are working closely with the pensions industry and across government to understand the impact of the emergency. However, at this stage, it is not possible to draw robust conclusions on the impact of covid-19 including the impact on the self-employed, women and BAME.

*No heading*

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to ensure that health and safety standards are maintained in meat processing plants throughout the UK.

Mims Davies: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is responsible for enforcement of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 in Great Britain. HSE Northern Ireland has a similar responsibility in Northern Ireland. HSE is not the regulator of food safety. The regulatory lead for public health matters, such as responding when workers in meat processing plant test positive for Covid-19, remains with public health bodies. HSE has published guidance on health and safety in meat processing and other food businesses and regulated standards in this industry through operational activity, including inspections and investigating concerns raised by workers and incidents where there has been harm: https://www.hse.gov.uk/food/index.htm. During the pandemic, HSE has worked with other government departments to provide additional guidance on health and safety risk controls appropriate to food production businesses, including meat processing:https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/adapting-food-manufacturing-operations-during-covid-19.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Renewable Energy

Sir Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many (a) solar panels and (b) wind turbines his Department's buildings (a) have in 2020 and (b) had in each of the last five years.

Victoria Prentis: Defra has 83 sites with solar panels and six sites with wind turbines or direct drive wind pumps. We also have 104 operational solar panels that directly power equipment such as remote cameras and sensors. We have taken the department to mean those entities covered by our greening Government commitments. However, we are waiting for responses from Kew and the Forestry Commission. Table 1: Year of installationTypePre 2015-162015-162016-172017-182018-192019-2020Solar Panels68 sites0 sites0 sites9 sites5 sites1 siteWind6 sites  We do not hold the information on the dates the operational panels for remote equipment were installed.

Cats: Tagging

Scott Benton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of the compulsory micro-chipping of cats.

Victoria Prentis: The Government is committed to improving the welfare of cats and has a manifesto commitment to introduce compulsory microchipping of cats. In October 2019 Defra published a call for evidence on compulsory microchipping for cats, which attracted over 3,000 responses. We are in the process of assessing the responses with a view to publishing the summary of them in due course.

Forests: Commodities

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment the Government has made of the potential merits of the recommendation of the Global Resource Initiative Taskforce's report of March 2020 on the introduction of a mandatory due diligence obligation on companies that place commodities and derived products that contribute to deforestation on the UK market.

Rebecca Pow: We are carefully considering all the options recommended in the Global Resource Initiative Taskforce’s report, including a mandatory due diligence obligation, and will set out our response in due course.

Food: Imports

Alex Davies-Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of establishing a food standards commission to ensure that the standard of international food imports is equivalent to existing UK food standards.

Alex Davies-Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on maintaining the current standards of food imports.

Alex Davies-Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that British farmers are not financially affected by food imports produced to lower food safety standards than those required in the UK.

Victoria Prentis: Our manifesto is clear that in all of our trade negotiations, we will not compromise on our high environmental protection, animal welfare and food standards. The EU Withdrawal Act will transfer all existing EU food safety provisions, including existing import requirements, onto the UK statute book. We are already engaging with the agricultural sector as part of our trade discussions. We have not ruled out additional groups, and there is clear scope to review, re-task and reinforce what we have. The Secretary of State regularly discusses a wide range of issues with Cabinet colleagues, and the Government will continue to work closely with the National Farmers’ Union and other relevant stakeholders across the food chain to understand the concerns about the impact of new trade deals. The Government has in place a range of stakeholder groups to feed into our policy development on trade. These include the Strategic Trade Advisory Group, the Agri-Food Expert Trade Advisory Group and various supply chain groups. Defra has developed the UK Agricultural Market Monitoring Group, which allows officials in Defra and the Devolved Administrations to monitor UK agricultural markets, to share the latest stakeholder information and to provide warning of atypical market movements. It will help prepare the evidence base for the cause and possible range of interventions that may be needed in specific markets.

Highly Protected Marine Areas: Angling

Sir Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Benyon Review Into Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs), if he will take steps to ensure that, as in the case of motorised boating, scuba diving, surfing, and personal watercraft, recreational anglers will continue to have access to HPMAs and not be excluded along with mineral extraction, dredging, commercial fishing; and if he will make a statement.

Victoria Prentis: We welcome the publication of the Review into Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs) on 8 June 2020, which is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/highly-protected-marine-areas-hpmas-review-2019. We will consider Richard Benyon's report and issue a formal response to him in due course. The panel recommended that HPMAs would represent the upper end of environmental protection and should exclude all extractive activity, including recreational sea angling, to allow for full ecosystem recovery.Defra recognises the importance of recreational sea angling to the economy, its benefits to the health and welfare of society, and the contribution anglers and angling bodies make to environmental improvements. We appreciate and understand the concerns raised by the recreational sea anglers since publication of the Benyon Review. We note that the report describes the opportunities that could arise as a result of HPMA introduction, including for recreational fisheries, such as spillover for anglers in adjacent areas. In introducing HPMAs, we note the Panel's recommendation to designate pilot sites by placing them within existing Marine Protected Areas. We would consider the socio-economic impact of HPMAs on all sectors, including recreational sea angling, before any decision to designate a site. Extensive consultation will take place before any decisions are made.

*No heading*

Stuart C McDonald: Whether he plans to maintain food and drink standards after the transition period.

Margaret Ferrier: Whether he plans to maintain food and drink standards after the transition period.

Victoria Prentis: This Government is committed to upholding our high environmental, food safety and animal welfare standards as we leave the EU. The EU Withdrawal Act will transfer all existing food safety provisions, including existing import requirements, onto the UK statute book after the Transition Period. These requirements include a ban on using artificial growth hormones in domestic and imported products, and set out that no products, other than potable water, are approved to decontaminate poultry carcasses. Our manifesto is clear that in all of our trade negotiations, we will not compromise on our high environmental protection, animal welfare and food standards. We are already engaging with the agricultural sector as part of our trade discussions and we will continue to work closely with the National Farmers’ Union and other relevant stakeholders across the food chain to understand the concerns about the impact of new trade deals, as well as the opportunities. The Government has in place a range of stakeholder groups to feed into our policy development on trade. These include the Strategic Trade Advisory Group, the Agri-Food Expert Trade Advisory Group and various supply chain groups.

Home Office

Religious Sects

Mr Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has an agreed definition of a cult.

Mr Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department holds information on the number of cults operating in the UK.

Mr Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the spread of cults in the UK.

Victoria Atkins: The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government is responsible for matters relating to faith and religion within Government.

Home Office: Climate Change

Darren Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effect of climate change on the work of her Department; and what steps she is taking in response to that effect.

James Brokenshire: My Department recognises the importance of climate change with regard to policy development. We are keeping the effects of climate change on Home Office business under consideration. We have also been mindful of the Greening Government Commitments.

Counter-terrorism: Internet

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure that the police have adequate provisions to counter terrorist content online.

James Brokenshire: The Government has been clear that there can be no safe spaces for terrorists to promote and share their extreme views online.The Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit (CTIRU) identifies, assesses and refers online content that is in breach of UK terrorism legislation to technology companies for removal in accordance with their terms of service. To date, in excess of 310,000 individual pieces of terrorist content referred by CTIRU have been removed by companies.Police powers need to keep pace with technological developments and the changing way terrorists use the internet. As part of this we amended the law through the Counter Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019 to update the offence of obtaining information “likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism” to include viewing or streaming content online.It is important that we ensure counter-terrorism policing has the resources needed to deal with the threat we face. That is why we increased the budget for counter-terrorism policing in 2020-21 by £90m this year compared with last, taking CT police funding to over £900m for the first time

Ofcom: Enforcement

Mrs Andrea Jenkyns: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what enforcement mechanisms Ofcom will be given to regulate tech companies.

James Brokenshire: In February 2020, the Government published the initial consultation response to the Online Harms White Paper and announced that it was minded to appoint Ofcom as the online line harms regulator.Subject to remaining government and parliamentary processes, the regulator will have strong enforcement powers to deal with non-compliance and drive remedial action. The new regulatory framework will introduce a duty of care, overseen by the independent regulator. This will ensure that companies, where appropriate, take prompt, transparent and effective action to address online harms.In the White Paper we set out that the regulator will have sufficient powers to take effective action against companies that breach regulator requirements. We have consulted on the most appropriate enforcement powers for the regulator, and are considering measures including notices, warning, fines and business disruption measures. Further information will be included in the full government response which will be published in the autumn.

Fire and Rescue Services: Staff

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many firefighters were available for duty in (a) Cumbria, (b) West Yorkshire, (c) Lancashire, (d) Greater Manchester and (e) London in 2015; and how many such firefighters are available in each of those areas in 2020.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office publishes annual workforce figures for fire and rescue services (FRSs) in England. Figures for 2020 will be published in Autumn 2020. The full published data are available here:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/fire-statistics-data-tables#workforce-and-workforce-diversity The Home Office does not hold data on how many of these firefighters are available for duty.

Offenders: Radicalism

Afzal Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to her Answer of 11 February 2020 to Question 12377, on Offenders: Radicalism, if she will list the (a) knowledge and (b) skills criteria required by Imams when recruited to challenge the beliefs of radicalised offenders.

Afzal Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to her Answer of 11 February 2020 to Question 12377, on Offenders: Radicalism, if she will publish the training materials on (a) theology and (b) counter-terrorism for the Theological and Ideological Interventions Programme that are used to train Imams tasked with challenging the beliefs of radicalised offenders.

Afzal Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to her Answer of 11 February 2020 to Question 12377, on Offenders: Radicalism, if she will (a) provide the names of the Chaplaincy Intervention Providers selected to deliver the Theological and Ideological Interventions Programme and (b) provide details of the basis on which those providers were selected.

Afzal Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to her Answer of 11 February 2020 to Question 12377, on Offenders: Radicalism, what the (a) onboarding process and (b) management process will be for Imams tasked with challenging the beliefs of radicalised offenders.

James Brokenshire: The Government has formulated a combined response to the Member’s questions given the connected nature of the questions. 23 Chaplaincy Intervention Providers (IPs) have been selected to deliver the Theological and Ideological Interventions (TII) Programme in prisons. All Chaplaincy IPs are existing HMPPS Chaplaincy employees – recommended by HMPPS Counter-Terrorism specialist frontline staff, and subject to Government vetting and due diligence checks. They were selected based on experience, knowledge and skills in challenging extremism, including but not limited to strong communication skills, experience in supporting the rehabilitation of TACT and TACT-connected offenders, and previous theological training. It would be inappropriate to release the names of the Chaplaincy IPs, as these are operational staff who are not Senior Civil Servants. The onboarding of Chaplaincy IPs includes an initial week-long training package on how to deliver one-to-one interventions, theological and ideological narratives and counter narratives; and, psychological therapeutic approaches. Training is delivered and reviewed in partnership with local Counter-Terrorism teams, and other practitioners working in complementary fields. Chaplaincy IPs also receive ongoing training, support and feedback via headquarters, their local counter terrorism teams, and external practitioners. We are not in a position to release the Chaplaincy IP training materials. This is because the likely threat to the good order and security of prisons, and the implications of this for prisoners and staff, favours non-disclosure of information detailing operational procedure such as guidance around extremist behavioural indicators and staff reporting and case management of offenders’ extremism risk.

Counter-terrorism

Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to clause 20 of the Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019, whether a timetable has been agreed for the (a) application, (b) interview and (c) appointment process to appoint a reviewer for the Prevent programme in order to achieve the 18-month timeframe set by that statute.

James Brokenshire: The Government is committed to the Independent Review of Prevent and launched a full and open recruitment competition to appoint the next Independent Reviewer of Prevent on 27 April 2020. Applications closed on 22 June 2020. Interviews are due to take place in July. The successful candidate will be announced in due course. We have included in the Counter Terrorism and Sentencing Bill a measure to remove the existing statutory deadline for the Review set out in the Counter Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019 while maintaining the legislative commitment to undertake it. This is to ensure that the new Reviewer has sufficient time to complete the Review. The Government aims for the Review to be completed by August 2021.

Action Fraud

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps she has taken to improve Action Fraud's performance.

James Brokenshire: As the National Lead Force for fraud, the City of London Police (CoLP) are responsible for the performance of the Action Fraud service. Together with the City of London Corporation, CoLP commissioned an independent review led by Sir Craig Mackey QPM into the standards, culture and management of Action Fraud.  The findings and recommendations of that review were published on  24th January: https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/about-the-city/Pages/police-authority.aspx Working with the City of London Corporation, the NCA and Home Office, the City of London Police will address Sir Craig’s recommendations regarding Action Fraud and the NFIB. In addition, as part of the 20/21 police funding settlement, City of London Police received additional funding to allow them to recruit additional staff for the Action Fraud call centre. Despite the current challenging circumstances, work has continued to recruit and develop remote training for these additional staff at pace.

Domestic Abuse: West Midlands Police

Stephen Kinnock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many of the 400 domestic abuse suspects recently arrested by West Midlands Police were released to go back to live with the person they were arrested on suspicion of abusing.

Victoria Atkins: This is an operational policing issue and the information is not held by the Home Office.

Domestic Abuse: Parents and Young People

Peter Aldous: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment Government has made of whether there has been an increase in adolescent to parent violence and abuse during the lockdown due to covid-19; and what support her Department has made available to families experiencing such violence and abuse.

Victoria Atkins: We are working closely with domestic abuse organisations, the Domestic Abuse Commissioner and police to monitor the impact of covid-19 on incidents of all forms of domestic abuse.The Government has provided a £76 million package of support to ensure the most vulnerable in society including victims of domestic and sexual abuse, vulnerable children and victims of modern slavery get the support they need during the pandemic. This is in addition to £2m of funding announced by the Home Secretary to bolster support for helplines and web based services.An awareness campaign has been launched to signpost victims of domestic abuse to appropriate support.

Offences Against Children: Europe

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions the Government has had with the European Commission on the volume of child sexual abuse images and videos hosted in Europe.

Victoria Atkins: HMG engages regularly with international partners on the vital issue of initiatives to tackle child sexual exploitation and abuse.For example, the Home Office is a permanent board member of the WePROTECT Global Alliance against online child sexual exploitation, alongside the European Commission, enabling us to promote our child sexual exploitation and abuse objectives and priorities in this forum. In addition, the UK, whilst we were an EU Member State, supported, and discussed with Member States and the Commission, the inclusion of provisions in draft EU legislation (the e-Privacy Regulation) to permit the continued protection of children online.

Counter-terrorism: Local Government

Neil Coyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether all Prevent strategy projects commissioned by local authorities are also directly approved by her Department.

James Brokenshire: To help monitor the impact, effectiveness and value for money of local Prevent delivery, local authorities in receipt of Home Office Prevent funding submit quarterly returns to the Home Office. These provide evidence of local Prevent activities, outcomes, issues and expenditure. These returns are not publicly available.

Asylum: Interviews

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when asylum seeker interviews that have been put on hold in response to the covid-19 outbreak will restart.

Chris Philp: Asylum Operations have secured a digital solution that can support remote interviewing and are working with delivery partners to enable the use of this technology. Asylum Ops remain committed to restarting substantive asylum interviews as soon as they can establish a process that allows the participants - applicants, representatives, interpreters and interviewers - to do so safely.

Asylum: Finance

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to ensure that (a) Asylum Support rates receive a £20 covid-related uplift in line with universal credit and (b) backdate that uplift to March 2020; and if she will make it her policy to reinstate asylum support to at least 70 per cent of mainstream income support.

Chris Philp: We have been reviewing the level of the cash allowances provided to asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute, as we do each year to ensure that they remain capable of meeting their essential living needs. As a result of this work, the standard allowance has been raised to £39.60 per week from £37.75 per week, an increase of around 5%. This increase is significantly higher than the current general rate of inflation, which Office of National Statistics data shows was only 0.5% in the 12 months period to May. The level of the allowance is not linked to social security benefits. In addition to the allowance, we also provide free accommodation, with utilities and council tax paid for and there is free access to the NHS and free access to education for their children. The UK has a generous record in supporting asylum seekers. Last year, we made around 20,000 grants of asylum or protection (one of the higher figures in Europe), as well as offered protection to 3,000 Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children – the highest number of any country in Europe. In addition, we have directly resettled around 20,000 people from the most dangerous areas of the world (especially Syrians) in the UK over the last 5 years. Finally, we spend around £14 billion per year in Overseas Aid, helping millions of people around the world. This is the highest amount of any country in Europe and we are the only G7 country to meet the 0.7% of GNI Overseas Aid target

Asylum: Coronavirus

Stuart C McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Home Department, pursuant to to the Answer of 7 May 2020 to Question 42081 on Asylum: Detention Centres and the Answer of 19 May 2020 to Question 46686 on Asylum: Housing, if he will publish the guidance issue by Public Health England to the Home Office that informed (a) the decision on 27 March 2020 to pause asylum support cessations and evictions and (b) the current review of this pause to be completed by end of June 2020.

Chris Philp: We have been working closely with National and Local health Colleagues throughout the pandemic to inform our approach.   PHE guidance focused initially on the provision to self-isolate and social distance and, in the review, to follow MHCLG guidance in relation to moving home and social bubbles which was supported by PHE. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/government-advice-on-home-moving-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak and - https://www.gov.uk/guidance/meeting-people-from-outside-your-household. We also sought specific advice in relation to the pause of asylum support cessations and the subsequent review.

Death Certificates: Ethnic Groups

Sarah Owen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans the Government has to include ethnicity on death certificates.

Kevin Foster: The statistical information currently recorded in a death registration (and subsequently on certificates) is determined by the Office for National Statistics and prescribed by law. There are currently no plans to record ethnicity.

Police: Stop and Search

Mike Amesbury: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many notices have been issued by police forces in England under section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 in each of the (a) last three months for which such information is available and (b) corresponding three months in (i) 2019 and (ii) 2018.

Kit Malthouse: The Home Office is currently collecting information on authorisations made under section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 and the data will be published in due course. The Home Office routinely collects and publishes statistics on the number of stop and searches under section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994. Data are published annually in the ‘Police Powers and Procedures, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin, the latest of which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-powers-and-procedures-england-and-wales The next bulletin is due to be published in October 2020.

Registration of Births, Deaths, Marriages and Civil Partnerships

Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department has issued to local authorities on the reopening of registry offices to enable people who wish to marry to formally give notice.

Kevin Foster: The local registration service in England and Wales has been advised that notices of intention to marry or form a civil partnership can be taken where these can be safely delivered in line with public health and local authority guidelines.

Migrant Workers: Doctors

Abena Oppong-Asare: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on what date she plans to commence the NHS surcharge exemption for migrant doctors.

Kevin Foster: The Government is committed to introducing the NHS surcharge exemption as soon as practicable.The Prime Minister has confirmed that health and care staff who have paid the fee since 21 May will be refunded.

Slavery: Detainees

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to regularly publish data on the number of victims of modern slavery in immigration detention.

Chris Philp: The Home Office currently publishes a range of data on immigration detention. This covers people detained under immigration powers and includes information such as nationality, age, sex, place and length of detention, cost of detention, pregnancy in detention and reports made by a medical practitioner under rule 35 of the Detention Centre Rules 2001. Following the then Home Secretary’s statement in Parliament in July 2018, which committed to publishing more data on immigration detention, the Home Office have since been undertaking a review. This review is still ongoing and will consider all elements of data important to the Home Office and the Public.

British Nationality: Assessments

Patrick Grady: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 17 June 2020 to Question 57247 on British Nationality: Assessments, how long after testing resumes will applications for indefinite leave continue to be held.

Kevin Foster: We have plans in place to conclude applications in process as quickly as possible once customers submit their certificates. Once test centres are fully reopened and services have resumed to a level where they can again meet demand, we expect that customers will submit their certificates within a reasonable timescale.

Immigrants: Finance

Fleur Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what covid-19 related funding and support is available to people with Leave to Remain.

Chris Philp: The Government has published advice and information about the support available to migrants with Leave to Remain during the coronavirus pandemic: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-get-support-if-youre-a-migrant-living-in-the-uk. Most migrants with Leave to Remain in the UK are subject to no recourse to public funds (NRPF). Successive governments have set the threshold for migrants qualifying for public funds at Indefinite Leave to Remain, reflecting the strength of connection to the UK of those who hold this status. However, many of the measures introduced to support people through the coronavirus pandemic, including the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and protections for renters, are available to those with NRPF.Individuals whose basis of stay in the UK is based on their family life or human rights can apply to have the NRPF condition lifted by making a ‘change of conditions’ application if there are exceptional circumstances in their case relating to financial circumstances.

Scotland Office

Unemployment: Scotland

Chris Elmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on trends in the level of unemployment in Scotland in the last three years.

Mr Alister Jack: I have regular discussions with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on a range of matters, including trends in the level of unemployment in Scotland. The UK Government recognises that this is a challenging time for Scotland. This is why the Chancellor has committed an unprecedented package of support. This includes a range of loan schemes and grants and, in particular, the Job Retention and Self-Employment Support Schemes which have protected the incomes of almost 800,000 people in Scotland – more than a quarter of the workforce. I am delighted that the Job Retention Scheme has now been extended to October.

Cabinet Office

Protective Clothing: Coronavirus

Justin Madders: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his oral contribution of 28 April 2020, Official Report, column 218, how many face coverings have been produced since 28 April 2020.

Justin Madders: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many face coverings for use by the general population are held by Government.

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that face coverings are (a) widely available to the public, (b) affordable and (c) effective in reducing the transmission of covid-19.

Chloe Smith: Further to the answer given to PQs 48885, 48886, 48887 on 14 May 2020, the Government has published guidance on staying safe outside the home during the COVID-19 pandemic:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/staying-safe-outside-your-home/staying-safe-outside-your-homeThe guidance includes information on the use of face coverings. We are asking people to make their own face coverings at home, using scarves or other textile items and we have published guidance to help illustrate the process.In terms of the wider production of PPE for use for medical purposes, Lord Deighton has been appointed to lead the national effort to boost PPE production, and also support the scaling up of engineering efforts for small companies capable of contributing to supplies.

Property Development: Isle of Dogs

Steve Reed: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Cabinet Secretary is undertaking an inquiry into the circumstances by which the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government made his decision on the Westferry Printworks development, PA/18/01877/A1 on 14 January 2020.

Chloe Smith: The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government has yesterday published a comprehensive statement to the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee on the manner in which the Westferry planning appeal was determined, and released a comprehensive collection of associated documents into the public domain; and I also refer the Hon. Member to the Secretary of State’s speech in the Opposition Day Debate.The Cabinet Secretary has not undertaken an investigation; he has written to the Hon. Member in relation to this matter in reply to his letter. Given the Hon. Member publicly released his original letter, I am placing a copy of this reply in the Libraries of the House.

Marriage: Coronavirus

Bob Seely: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what reason (a) weddings and (b) weddings with the minimum number of five people are not being allowed to be conducted during the current stage of the easing of the covid-19 lockdown restrictions.

Dame Diana Johnson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to Answer of 2 June 2020 to Question 48959, when the Government plans to lift covid-19 restrictions to allow small, socially distant weddings to take place.

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will set a date when marriages can resume as the covid-19 restrictions are eased.

Charlotte Nichols: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans he has to lift the marriage ban in England.

Steve McCabe: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 8 June 2020 to Question 54003, when he plans to review the restrictions imposed as a result of the covid-19 outbreak on weddings taking place to allow for small weddings to take place with social distancing.

John Spellar: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he plans to allow weddings and civil partnership ceremonies to recommence.

Penny Mordaunt: The Government understands the huge significance of weddings. We recognise that because weddings have not been able to take place in recent months this has caused difficulty and distress for many people. As set out in the Government’s COVID-19 recovery strategy, published in May, the Government has been examining how to enable people to gather in slightly larger groups better to facilitate small weddings. We have worked closely with faith leaders and local government on how best to achieve this. The Prime Minister announced on 23 June that wedding and civil partnership ceremonies will be able to take place in England from 4 July. People should avoid having a large ceremony, and should invite no more than thirty family and friends. Venues should ensure they are COVID-19 secure.

Land: Public Sector

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much publicly owned land has been sold by the Government in each of the last five years.

Chloe Smith: Details of publicly owned land sold by the Government are available on GOV.UK:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sales-of-government-assets

Ethnic Groups: Equality

Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Race Disparity Audit, whether his Department has undertaken an impact assessment of the explain or change approach adopted by the Race Disparity Unit when working with the Department for Health and Social Care; and what changes to that Department's policies has the unit recommended as a result of data it has gathered since its inception.

Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Race Disparity Audit, whether his Department has undertaken an impact assessment of the explain or change approach adopted by the Race Disparity Unit when working with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government; and what changes to that Department's policies has the unit recommended as a result of data it has gathered since its inception.

Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Race Disparity Audit, whether his Department has undertaken an impact assessment of the explain or change approach adopted by the Race Disparity Unit when working with the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy; and what changes to that Department's policies has the unit recommended as a result of data it has gathered since its inception.

Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Race Disparity Audit, whether his Department has undertaken an impact assessment of the explain or change approach adopted by the Race Disparity Unit when working with the Ministry of Justice; and what changes to that Department's policies has the unit recommended as a result of data it has gathered since its inception.

Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Race Disparity Audit, whether his Department has undertaken an impact assessment of the explain or change approach adopted by the Race Disparity Unit when working with the Department of Education; and what changes to that Department's policies has the unit recommended as a result of data it has gathered since its inception.

Chloe Smith: The ‘Explain or Change’ communications campaign concluded in June last year, and the Race Disparity Unit (RDU) continues to work with other Government departments to address disparities. This includes working with the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC), Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and the Department for Education (DfE). This work includes, for example, considering recommendations from an independent review of the Mental Health Act, acting on the recommendations of the Lammy Review and taking forward recommendations from the Timpson Review into school exclusions. As has been the case under successive administrations, details of internal discussions are not normally disclosed.

Civil Service: Racial Discrimination

Steve Reed: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the Government's policy is on the use of non-disclosure agreements in the civil service for settling cases involving racial discrimination or abuse grievances.

Steve Reed: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many non-disclosure agreements have been used by each Government department for settling grievance cases in each of the last five years.

Steve Reed: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, many non-disclosure agreements have been used by each Government department for settling discrimination cases in each of the last five years.

Chloe Smith: The Cabinet Office publishes guidance on the use of confidentiality clauses in the Civil Service. This is publicly available here. It makes clear that such clauses should not be used to prevent staff from raising or discussing allegations of bullying, harassment or discrimination.As part of the Government's evidence for the Women and Equalities Committee report on the use of non-disclosure agreements in discrminination cases, we provided details on the number of non-disclosure agreements used in the Civil Service including those that were used in cases of alleged discrimination. This represents the latest data we have available.

Elections: EU Nationals

Wendy Chamberlain: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether EU citizens (a) with pre-settled or settled status and (b) without such status will be eligible to (i) stand as candidates in and (ii) vote in local government elections in England and Wales in 2021, including the London Assembly election.

Chloe Smith: I refer the Hon. Member to the answers given to PQ 38882 on 27 April 2020 and to PQ 1802 on 29 January 2020.

Trade: Northern Ireland

Dr Philippa Whitford: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what guidance his Department has issued to businesses on shipping goods (a) to and (b) from Northern Ireland to the rest of the UK in preparation for the end of the transition period.

Dr Philippa Whitford: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, by what date the UK Government plans to have additional (a) staff and (b) infrastructure in place to comply with the Northern Ireland protocol in relation to checks on products moving between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.

Penny Mordaunt: The UK Government will meet its obligations under the Northern Ireland Protocol, in line with the approach set out in the Command Paper published on 20 May, the UK’s Approach to the Northern Ireland Protocol. We will ensure that the Protocol is implemented in a way that upholds the gains of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, and which protects the interests of the people and economy of Northern Ireland. We committed in the UK’s Approach to the Northern Ireland Protocol to provide guidance to business, including our plans for extensive support for NI businesses engaging in new processes. We will publish that guidance during the course of this summer.

Prime Minister: Public Opinion

Judith Cummins: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much the office of the Prime Minister spent on (a) opinion polling and (b) focus groups in each month since January 2019.

Peter Kyle: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that polling commissioned by Government or paid for with public funds is not (a) used for party political purposes or (b) accessed by a political party on preferential terms.

Judith Cummins: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much his Department spent on (a) opinion polling and (b) focus groups in each month since January 2019.

Chloe Smith: The office of the Prime Minister is an integral part of the Cabinet Office. Complete information on opinion poll and focus group spending is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate costs. However, the Government routinely publishes details of all contracts over £10,000 on Contracts Finder.As has been the case under successive administrations, any Government research, polling or analysis would be for official use.

Treasury

Protective Clothing: VAT

Dave Doogan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of making items of personal protective equipment exempt from VAT (a) in the short term to support businesses in protecting staff and customers as covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased and (b) permanently to support health spending over the longer term.

Jesse Norman: A temporary zero-rate of VAT applies to sales of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for protection from infection from 1 May 2020 until 31 July 2020. The temporary relief has been introduced as an urgent response to the coronavirus emergency. Its main objective is to relieve businesses, particularly in the healthcare and residential care sectors, of the burden of tax on essential infection protection equipment needed to deal with the emergency. All taxes are kept under review and Government will reassess the situation in the future.

Covid-19 Education Catch-up Fund

Ian Murray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the Barnett consequentials are for Scotland with regards to the £1 billion education catch-up fund announced on 19 June 2020.

Steve Barclay: Any new funding for the Department for Education will have the Barnett formula applied to it in the usual way.

Tourism: Employment

Anna McMorrin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to protect jobs in the (a) travel and (b) tourism industries, which operate domestic and overseas school trips, beyond the current scheduled end date of the Coronavirus Jobs Retention Scheme and to allow companies to plan for the future in the event restrictions on (i) domestic and (ii) overseas school trips remain in place.

Kemi Badenoch: The Government has announced unprecedented support for business and workers to protect them against the current economic emergency including almost £300 billion of guarantees – equivalent to 15% of UK GDP. Travel and tourism businesses continue to have access to a range of support measures including, but not limited to: A 12-month business rates holiday for all eligible retail, leisure and hospitality businesses in EnglandSmall business grant funding (SBGF) of £10,000 for all business in receipt of small business rate relief or rural rate reliefThe retail, hospitality and leisure grant fund (RHLGF)A Discretionary Grant Fund for Local Authorities in EnglandThe Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS)The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS)The Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS)The Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBL) for small and micro enterprisesVAT deferral for up to 12 monthsThe Time To Pay scheme, through which businesses in financial distress, and with outstanding tax liabilities, can receive support with their tax affairsProtection for commercial leaseholders against automatic forfeiture for non-payment until June 30, 2020 – with an option for the Government to extend if needed. The Business Support website provides further information about how businesses can access the support that has been made available, who is eligible and how to apply - https://www.gov.uk/business-coronavirus-support-finder. On 11 May the Government published its COVID-19 recovery strategy which sets out our plan for moving to the next phase of our response. The strategy sets out a cautious roadmap for easing existing measures in a safe and measured way. On 23 June the Government announced that elements of the tourism industry in England, such as hotels and guesthouses – that meet the required social distancing and public health measures – can reopen from 4 July. Options for overseas travel are currently being reviewed.

Investment Income: Coronavirus

Bill Esterson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of whether companies have paid dividends while in receipt of the Government's covid-19 support packages.

Kemi Badenoch: Government support is aimed at businesses in genuine need. Our current measures are well-targeted at such businesses, bearing in mind the need to act very quickly to deliver this unprecedented package. We expect everyone to act responsibly and in the spirit of the package, and only claim and use support as intended. The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) for example provides compensation for the cost of paying furloughed workers –money that goes directly to the pockets of workers who might otherwise lose their jobs, whilst Business Rates reductions and Local Authority grant schemes are targeted at sectors which are facing severe hardship. The Government is keeping all measures under constant review. Companies borrowing more than £50million through the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS) or accessing the Covid Corporate Financing Facility (CCFF) beyond 19 May 2021, face restrictions on dividend payments, capital distributions and senior pay.

Self-employment Income Support Scheme

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to ensure that taxpayers who are unable to make an application for the Self Employment Grant Scheme themselves can have their application submitted by a third party already appointed as their agent.

Jesse Norman: The new Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) helps those adversely affected by COVID-19. By midnight 21 June 2020, HMRC had received 2.6m claims representing a total of £7.6bn claimed.HMRC recognise the important role that agents play in supporting people who are self-employed. Due to the speed at which HMRC are delivering the SEISS it has not been possible to offer agents the ability to claim on behalf of their clients. However, the process has been designed to be as simple as possible, and HMRC do all the calculations for taxpayers. Anyone who cannot apply online can contact HMRC by telephone to submit their claim.

Third Sector: Coronavirus

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the Government's financial support to organisations in the voluntary, community and social enterprise sectors during the covid-19 outbreak.

Kemi Badenoch: The Government has announced unprecedented support for public services, workers and businesses to protect against the current economic emergency. Organisations in the voluntary, community and social enterprise sectors continue to have access the support packages that the Government has made available. The Government has set out a £750 million package of support for charities providing key services and supporting vulnerable people during the COVID-19 crisis. Part of the funding for charities is being disbursed with £360 million directly allocated by government departments. The most up to date information is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-the-charity-sector#government-financial-support-for-charities. Our aim is to get funding to those in greatest need as soon as possible. Charities also have access to cross-cutting support already announced including the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme which enables them to furlough staff with the government paying 80% of wages, and VAT deferral.Organisations that are not eligible for the charity support package could be able to access the other substantial government support that has been made available. Support for organisations in the voluntary, community and social enterprise sectors, remains under constant review.

Employment: Government Assistance

Sir David Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what financial support he plans to offer new starters who cannot claim under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and have (a) been denied furlough pay by their previous employer and (b) are not eligible for universal credit.

Jesse Norman: It has not been possible to include in the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme individuals for whom HMRC had not received a Real Time Information submission notifying payment in respect of that employee on or before the 19 March, as this would have significantly increased the risk of fraud. Individuals with sufficient National Insurance contributions who have lost their job may be entitled to support from the welfare system, notably new style Jobseeker’s Allowance, which does not assess capital or partner income. The Government has introduced wider measures to support those who may be in difficulty during the Covid-19 crisis, including mortgage holidays, a pause on evictions, hardship funds from local authorities, and help with utility bills.

Economic Situation: Coronavirus

Ms Angela Eagle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the long term financial effect of the covid-19 outbreak on (a) women, (b) BAME workers, (c) self employed workers and (d) gig economy workers.

Jesse Norman: It is too early to assess the long-term financial impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on individual groups, but the Government recognises the challenges that the current crisis is posing to all groups in society, including the most vulnerable. The Government has delivered an unprecedented package of support, including the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme, and increases to Universal Credit. This has helped protect incomes, jobs, and support those most in need. The Government remains committed to supporting the lowest-paid workers and helping unemployed people go back into work, and the Government is continuing to review what can be done to support those most vulnerable to job loss and to aid the UK’s economic recovery.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Orchestras: Coronavirus

Sir Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made on the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on orchestras; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Dinenage: In order to support the sustainability of the Arts sector, including classical orchestras, DCMS has worked closely with Arts Council England (ACE) to provide a tailored package of financial support. In March, ACE announced a £160m emergency response package to complement the financial measures already announced by the Government and to ensure immediate resilience of this vital sector. In addition, ministers have continued to engage with leading members of the orchestral sector on specific guidance to enable orchestras to resume live performances as soon as possible, and how to safely resume activity within current regulations. This package includes £140 million of support for artistic organisations including orchestras; and £20 million of financial support for individuals, including self-employed classical musicians, so they can better sustain themselves, and their work, in the coming months. More than 9000 individuals and organisations have been successful in applying for this emergency funding. Furthermore, self-employed classical musicians are among the millions of people (including freelancers) who can now benefit from the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme, which will provide those eligible with cash grants worth up to £2,500 per month. We expect that the Self-Employed Income Support scheme will cover 95% of people who receive the majority of their income from self-employment.

Gambling

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to support Adult Gaming Centres.

Nigel Huddleston: The Prime Minister announced on 23 June that, providing they adhere to Covid-19 Secure guidelines, Adult Gaming Centres and other arcades will be able to reopen from 4 July. The Government has provided a package of measures to support businesses, including Adult Gaming Centres, as announced by the Chancellor on 17 and 26 March. This includes a business rates holiday for businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, through which all UK employers are able to access support to continue paying part of their employees’ salary, and theCoronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, which provides loans of up to £5 million for SMEs through the British Business Bank, backed by an 80% government guarantee.Further support for SMEs was announced on 27 April through the Bounce Back Loan scheme.

Press Freedom

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many members of the public have written to his Department in support of the Save the Independent Press campaign.

Mr John Whittingdale: The Department has received correspondence from a range of stakeholders, including from members of the public. This Government is clear that newspapers play an invaluable role in the fabric of our society and we continue to work with stakeholders from across the Press sector and political landscape in order to ensure the effectiveness of our policies in relation to supporting all news publishers, including independent outlets. The Government will continue to consider all possible options in the interests of promoting and sustaining high-quality news journalism across the sector.

Tourism: Coronavirus

Stuart Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking support (a) theatres, (b) museums and (c) other tourist attractions in Wolverhampton after the covid-19 outbreak.

Caroline Dinenage: In order to support the sustainability of the Arts sector, including theatres and museums, DCMS has worked closely with Arts Council England (ACE) to provide a tailored package of financial support. In March, ACE announced a £160m emergency response package to complement the financial measures already announced by the Government and to ensure immediate resilience of this vital sector. This package includes £140 million of support for artistic organisations including theatres and museums; and £20 million of financial support for individuals, including self-employed theatre practitioners, so they can better sustain themselves, and their work, in the coming months. More than 9000 individuals and organisations have been successful in applying for this emergency funding. Additionally, the National Lottery Heritage Fund launched the £50 million Heritage Emergency Fund, and Historic England has launched two £2 million Emergency Funds. The Secretary of State, myself and officials continue to consult the Art and Tourism sectors extensively to ensure we fully understand the impacts of Covid-19 and remain well placed to respond as it develops.

Tourism: Coronavirus

Craig Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what plans his Department has to support the tourism sector in Mid Wales as covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased.

Nigel Huddleston: We recognise that COVID-19 has significantly impacted the tourism sector across the UK, including in Mid Wales. I hold regular discussions with my counterparts in the Welsh Government, the Scottish Government and the Northern Ireland Executive to assess COVID-19’s impact on tourism across the UK. We will continue to engage with the Devolved Administrations to assess how we can most effectively support the sector’s recovery from COVID-19. As tourism is devolved, the Welsh Government is responsible for how and when lockdown restrictions are eased for the tourism sector in Wales, and for targeted financial initiatives to support the sector.

Arts: Finance

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what additional financial support he plans to allocate to the arts sector to protect (a) salaried and (b) freelance workers.

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what plans the Government has to increase (a) funding to and (b) financial investment in the arts.

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether he has plans to promote investment in the art sector by (a) extending and (b) improving tax relief schemes for venues and creatives.

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what additional financial support he plans to allocate to arts (a) venues and (b) organisations.

Caroline Dinenage: The UK’s arts sector is one of our greatest success stories and we are doing all we can to support it through the pandemic. We are providing unprecedented assistance including a years' business rates holiday, government loans, the recently-extended Self Employed Income Support Scheme, the Job Retention Scheme that hundreds of organisations have received support from. Additionally, DCMS has worked closely with its arm’s-length bodies to deliver tailored support packages at speed, including the £160m Emergency Funding Package announced by Arts Council England, made possible by Government funding. This intervention complements the financial measures already announced to ensure immediate resilience of this vital sector. The package includes £140 million of support for artistic organisations, including venues, and £20 million of financial support for individuals, including freelancers, so they can better sustain themselves, and their work, in the coming months. To date more than 9000 individuals and organisations have been successful in applying for this emergency funding. The Secretary of State, myself and officials continue to consult the Art sector extensively to ensure we fully understand the financial impact of the Covid-19 outbreak on the sector. On the basis of that engagement, DCMS and ACE are continuing to work closely to consider the additional measures required to ensure the long-term recovery and growth of the cultural sector. We remain committed to opening up venues as soon as it is safe to do so and are working directly with the sector on detailed advice and guidance.

Musicians: Coronavirus

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what plans her Departments has to issue guidance to (a) singers, (b) wind and brass players and (c) other musicians on (i) rehearsals and performances as the covid-19 restrictions are eased and (ii) minimising risks of asymptomatic transmission of covid-19.

Caroline Dinenage: DCMS has worked closely with the Entertainment and Events Working Group to develop guidance which will enable performing artists to train, rehearse and perform safely. The guidance will be published in due course and will include guidance on minimising risk of transmission and supporting singers, wind and brass players and other musicians to return to work in COVID-secure ways. DCMS is also holding targeted talks with leaders in the orchestra, choral and theatre sectors to better understand how the higher risk of activities like singing and playing of wind/brass instruments can practically be mitigated.

House of Commons Commission

Parliamentary Estate: Police

Dr Julian Lewis: To ask the hon. Member for Perth and North Perthshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, if the Commission will publish the (a) dates and (b) changes that have been made to policing arrangements in the vicinity of the parliamentary estate in the last 10 years in relation to (i) demonstrations and (ii) the (A) obstruction, (B) abuse and (C) intimidation of hon. Members at entrances to the Palace of Westminster; and what steps the Commission plans to take with (1) City of Westminster local authority, (2) the Greater London Authority and (3) the Metropolitan Police to ensure the safety of (x) hon. Members, (y) parliamentary staff and (z) other people entering and exiting the parliamentary estate.

Pete Wishart: The Parliamentary Security Department (PSD) has a Special Services Agreement for provision of policing on the Parliamentary Estate; external policing is a matter for the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS). The House of Commons Commission cannot therefore provide the requested information pertaining to policing arrangements in the vicinity of the Parliamentary Estate in the last 10 years.PSD is in frequent communication with the MPS to assess expected protest activity and other events in the surrounding area that may impact access to and/or the safety of Parliament and those working or visiting here. During extended and heightened protest activity, for example around the debates on Brexit, PSD has worked with the MPS and with other parties such as broadcasters to protect Members, staff and the public. PSD also issues advice to Members and other passholders around personal security, including any specific guidance around ongoing events.PSD and other Parliamentary officials also liaise with Westminster City Council (WCC), the Greater London Authority (GLA), the MPS and others on issues of safety and security in the nearby area. Parliament has supported the Parliament Square Streetscape Project, which is led jointly by the GLA and WCC and with the involvement of the MPS, to consider the feasibility of improvements to the Streetscape around the Palace of Westminster.

*No heading*

Alan Brown: To ask the hon. Member for Perth and North Perthshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, what recent assessment the Commission has made of the effectiveness of changes implemented on the parliamentary estate in response to the covid-19 outbreak.

Pete Wishart: The House of Commons Commission has ensured that the House Service has implemented the Working safely during coronavirus guidance and meets the requirements to be defined as a covid-secure workplace. The Commission is satisfied that the steps taken appear to be working, but these will be kept under constant review and changes made when needed.

Women and Equalities

Coronavirus: Ethnic Groups

Apsana Begum: To ask the Secretary of State for Women and Equalities, with reference to Public Health England's report, Beyond the data: understanding the impact of covid-19 on BAME groups, published June 2020, what plans he has to to implement the recommendations on reducing the risk to black Asian Minority Ethnic, BAME, people catching and dying of covid-19.

Kemi Badenoch: On 4 June the Government announced its next steps following the Public Health England (PHE) Report, ‘Disparities in the risk and outcomes of COVID-19’, which was published on 2 June.PHE also engaged with a significant number of individuals and organisations within the BAME community to hear their views about the impact of COVID-19. This work informed a separate report, ‘Beyond the Data: understanding the impact of COVID-19 on BAME groups’, which was published on 16 June 2020.Many of the recommendations from the second report are already in train. For example, NHS Employers has published – and continues to update – robust occupational risk assessment tools; and the Race Disparity Unit continues to work to with Covid teams across Departments to improve communications, outreach and engagement with ethnic minority communities. Furthermore, many of the recommendations are being taken forward through the terms of reference published on 4 June. This includes steps to assess and improve the quality of data collected by ethnicity; and further strengthening and improving public health communications to ensure they can reach and inform all communities across the country.It's critical that Government takes into account the voices of people who are impacted by our actions. It's also critical that Departments base their actions on robust evidence, so that we can be sure that they will have a positive impact.

Gender Recognition: Health Services

Barbara Keeley: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on reducing waiting times for NHS gender identity services.

Kemi Badenoch: As with many issues, the Government Equalities Office and Department for Health and Social Care continue to engage on this matter.We are aware that waiting times for Gender Identity Services are currently very long and we are working with NHS England to help address this. In 2019, NHS England began work on changing services to establish a more modern, flexible care model to support adult transgender people. Procurement is underway and clinics meeting new service specifications will be in place in this year, subject to changes caused by the COVID-19 response. The intention is to move routine gender identity service away from specialist centres, to more local provision.

Racial Discrimination

Kate Osamor: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, if she will publish the (a) terms of reference for and (b) names of the (i) chair and (ii) commission members of the commission on race.

Kemi Badenoch: On 14 June, the Prime Minister announced a new Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities. The Commission will drive forward work to understand why disparities exist, what works to address disparities and what does not, and will present recommendations for action across Government and other public bodies, bridging the gap between data and policy. It will report by the end of the year. The aim of the Commission is to set out a new, positive agenda for change - balancing the needs of individuals, communities and society, maximising opportunities and ensuring fairness for all. The terms of reference, and names of the chair and commission members will be published in due course.